Estrus is the stage of the reproductive cycle in which the dog can become pregnant; sometimes a dog that is in estrus is said to be in heat or in season. On average, puberty or sexual maturity is reached at about 6 months of age, but this can vary by breed.
A small scale enterprise is a privately owned and operated business, characterized by a small number of employees and low turnover. A small enterprise usually only shares a tiny segment of the market it operates in.
Small and medium-sized enterprises or small and medium-sized businesses are businesses whose personnel numbers fall below certain limits. The abbreviation SME is used in the European Union and by international organizations such as the World Bank, the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. Small enterprises outnumber large companies by a wide margin and also employ many more people. SMEs are also said to be responsible for driving innovation and competition in many economic sectors.