There are many signs your dog is in heat and over the next few minutes, I am going to explain to you what these are. First of all, a female dog usually experiences her first heat or estrus around six months of age. The dog cycle lasts roughly around three weeks and will typically occur anywhere from every four to twelve months. During this time, the female can be impregnated during the period of ovulation, just as with humans.
The first signs that your dog is in heat will start to appear during the first part of the female dog estrus cycle. This part of the cycle is called proestrus. Signs during this part include; clear vaginal discharge, swelling of the vulva, bleeding, irritability and an increase in urination. At this time, she will not be interested in mating with other dogs yet. This part of the cycle can last anywhere from 3-15 days depending on the size and breed of your dog.
The following stage of the cycle is the actual heat. This is when the female dog ovulates and is able to become pregnant. There aren’t a whole lot of signs that your dog is in heat during this part of the cycle except that discharge halts and she accepts partners. If your dog does become pregnant at this time, her gestation with range from 56 to 65 days. Once again, this depends on the size and breed of the dog as well as the size of the litter. It is tough to tell whether your dog is pregnant until the last couple of weeks before the birth. At this time, her teats and belly will swell making it visibly obvious.
The next stage is referred to as diestrus. Signs your dog is in heat during this stage are a bit misleading to the uneducated. If your dog does not become pregnant, her teats will still swell and produce milk. Amazingly, the dog will act as if she lost the pregnancy. She may whine, act motherly towards toys or other animals, solicit extra attention or just seclude herself. At this time, she will have no interest in mating.
The last signs your dog is in heat occur during the anestrus stage. This is the final stage after the dog does not become pregnant. This stage is usually where the mother who did become pregnant would have already given birth and she would be caring for her young. At this time, during anestrus, there is no hormonal activity and no lactation. Lastly, the only other signs that your dog is in heat is that she will have no interest in mating with the opposite sex.
