My dog's first heat: Will she stop growing? What care does she need?

Thank you for submitting your question! Most puppies will start their first heat cycle anywhere from about 6-10 months of age. It can last upwards of 18-21 days. You will notice swelling of her vulva and mammary chain. She will spot and bleed as well. Some dogs keep themselves very clean and you only see small amounts of discharge, others will require diapers. You may observe some behavioral changes as well. These can include a decreased appetite, attraction to male dogs or being more clingy to you. Most dogs will cycle every 6-9 months with small dogs cycling more frequently and giant breeds less. I hope this information helps!

That is true - typically the first heat cycle occurs around 9 months in a small breed dog but it can occur as early as 6 months. You should make sure there is no potential for her to either escape from your yard or for other dogs to get into your yard to avoid an accidental breeding, and should avoid taking her in public when she is in heat. She will first go through a proestrus phase where the vulva swells and there is bloody discharge: this lasts 1-2 weeks. You will want to have diaper for her to wear to decrease the mess. Estrus comes next and will be when she is fertile and will ovulate - this lasts another 5-10 days but there is no longer any bloody discharge. If you don't plan to breed Mini in the future you may want to discuss having her spayed.

In regards to your question about Olie having her first heat cycle - on average a dog will have their first heat cycle between 6-12 months of age. It is hard to determine right now at her 2 month age exactly when her first heat cycle will be but it will be several months from now. If you want to take extra precaution during her heat cycle you can have her wear a cloth or disposable diaper to help with the "mess". She does not need to wear cloths and you do not have to change her normal healthy diet. You should take extra precaution when she goes into heat that there will be intact male dogs seeking her out to try and breed with her. If your intention is not for her to have puppies than it is very important to keep her away from intact male dogs during this time of her heat cycle or she will be bred. If you do not wish for her to have puppies it would be best to have her spayed prior to her first heat cycle by your veterinarian. Best of luck with your sweet puppy Olie.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Odesia. When a dog comes into heat, her mammary chain and vulva will swell. She will have a blood tinged discharge. A heat cycle lasts approximately 18-21 days. Spaying her prior to her first heat cycle will prevent this from occurring. Most dogs come into heat for the first time around 7-10 months of age with larger breeds starting their cycles later. If she goes into heat, doggy diapers with a feminine hygiene pad are an easy way to keep her clean. I hope this information helps!

There are special doggie diapers that you can get for Panda from the pet store, and I would recommend using those. I would not let her outside alone, and when you do take her outside, keep her on a lead at all times, and away from places where male unneutered dogs might be (such as a dog park). This will keep her from having a pregnancy, which is important because it's never recommended to breed a dog on her first heat. She will not be mature enough, both physically and behaviorally.

She is not likely to get her period before September, if she does get her period there is nothing you need to do, just be careful no male dogs come near her and you will need to wait at least a couple months before you can get her spayed as it is not recommended to have a dog spayed during or right after a heat cycle.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Congratulations on your new little girl! Any pet-store will have diaper products for female dogs in heat, so you can go by and get some. Usually small breed dogs, especially on their first heat don't need any diapers and won't spot too much, and usually will clean themselves up. I recommend that you wait about 1-2 months and then have Lulu spayed before her next heat cycle. Spaying prevents the common and severe condition of pyometra, and also prevents unwanted pregnancies (shih-tzus often have trouble with birth and often require a c-section and get eclampsia, so you should not breed her especially if she is your first dog), and decreases her risks of being hit by a car (less roaming) and also decreases the risks of many cancers. You can chat with your vet about the best timing for this. Best of luck with Lulu! I hope you have fun with her!