What should I expect from dog's heat cycle?

We will hear soon about our new puppy arriving. My fiance does not want to spay her until she is 1 1/2 to 2 years old because everyone on his sites have said that she will not fully mature looks wise until that age since she's a large breed dog. The look is very important to my fiance.

She will only be about 3 months old when she comes. I've never not had a female spayed early so I have no idea what to expect.

When do they go into heat? How many times? Do I need to buy special pads for the dogs to wear as someone told me it will be all over my carpeting and floors?

Anything you can tell me I'd appreciate.

Barb

Dog go into heat twice a year it depends on the dog when really. I have never done pads or anything like that with any of my active females and have never had a mess either I think its all up to you really. Also keep a close eye on here and always keep her on a leash when she is in heat because in my experience the ***** will seek out a dog to breed with and i have had dogs run off the property and me have to go and find them. Just alittle extra info for ya there

Hi,

I find all females are different, some make more of a mess then others. I use size 4 diapers on my female pugs this seems to work well. You can also purchase special pants for them that used women's pads too.

whom here has had an oops litter..i am guilty of two...so have your fiance read this thread..and watch the one more litter cause it will happen when you are not looking!
Gustav i think you posted this the first time..tho it made my heart sob and choke..i was grateful that i had the experience (not that it is any excuse) of being able to care for my pups medically too and found each one a good home. Thank you for showing me that..i have tryed to convey the message over and over again. If your dog is coming in season you have waited too long. Mary was already pg before we even knew it..she went thru a sloppy, messy heat.after that it was already too late....but at first there was not a single drop of blood, she must have been very discreet about keeping clean herself. here it is again..http://justonelitter.com/litter.html

your dog will mature just fine..in fact..she will be sleek and happy as well. Don't wait..your fiance is getting his info from the wrong source. I have had many spay females that lived to a ripe old age..matured right on schedule and i didn't have puppies! Mary was because i kept a dog when i didn't have the money to responisbly be her mommy..i thought i had another month or two anyway. I probably still shouldn't be her mom for the same reason...but i do put her needs at the very top of us!

Thanks for the info. We're not planning on breeding her. She will be in a household with another female who is spayed and a male who is neutered. We also have a 5' high fence around our property.

I do want to make sure that I'm not taking her for a walk during the time when she is in heat and may encounter other males. As you can tell, I've never been through this before.

Barb, they get PMS. Honest. Needy, moody, crying, whining, snippy, hormonal as all getout. The 'mess' everyone tells you about is spots of blood that drip.

It is NO FUN for anyone involved. Trust me. Just got through one of Shiva's and Kharma is beginning to act "that way." If you're not planning on showing the dog - and I know you're not planning on breeding - go ahead and get her spayed. She'll be happier, you'll be happier, you won't have to worry and she'll mature just fine. Good nutrition and appropriate exercise will do more to ensure her proper maturation than leaving her unspayed ever could.

AND, it won't drive poor Max around the bend if she's spayed. Even though he's neutered, living in close proximity to a dog in heat will drive him nuts, make him miserable and send you to the funny farm.

Oh, and you CAN'T take her for a walk when she goes into heat. Every male in the vicinity will find you. You can't put her out in the yard either; a 5' fence is nothing to a determined dog, and she'll be more than able to clear a 5' fence. Charley tells me he's seen a dog get pregnant through a chain link fence . . . Scary, huh?

Have one in season and they will come..just like build it and they will come..be careful.
a dog can smell for miles! WE had a little dog when i was a little kid that moaned and whined until you wanted to choke him everytime there was a female in heat..he would be very determined and i am sure no fence would have deterred..he would have climbed mountains if necessary..Mom finally outwitted Dinky by tying 3 feet of rope to his collar attached to a tether ball. He could get himself out the door, but not the rope and ball too..i called it Dinky's ball and chain. When he went down the basement steps it bounced right behind him.

Get hold of the book called "The Book of the B.I.T.C.H" had to spell it out that way as the site dose'nt let you spell it normally this book is invaluble, normally bitches have two heat cycles a year but depends on the dog, bleeding can be messy, but if she is a clean girl you may not even notice, normall first signs she is coming into season is shedding of hair, possibly be a bit moody, clingy etc, possibly some swelling of the vulva then she will start to bleed first days not too much but this may increase, then mid cycle she will ease off (this is the most important time to keep a good eye on her) then she will start to bleed a little more which will decrease as she gets to the end of her cycle, keep her under close scrutiny while she is in season, dogs can and do travel miles to get to a ***** in season, avoid taking her out on walks she will leave a scent for dogs to follow. I personally dont use pads on my girl, as she is very clean, the cycle can last up to 30 days, and any time during this she is vulnerable.

Mo

lol Moe..you can spell it out for singular, but you can write in plural! haha

Again, thank you everyone for all of your input. I'm giving all this info to Carl so he knows what's in store.