My female dog is quiet, depressed, and aggressive. Is she in heat?

Normally, bitches in season do not behave very differently from their usual selves. Since it is her first heat, there may be a problem showing up that was not evident before her reproductive organs became active. Or, it could be something else altogether. Your best bet is to take her to the vet for a thorough exam to determine an accurate diagnosis and, if necessary, appropriate treatment plan.

I would be suspicious there is another cause for the change in behavior. Swelling of the vulva happens early on in the heat cycle but everybody is different. With her age it’s possible she may not proceed quite as normal since she is young. It’s possible she does not feel well. It’s also possible she is starting to test her boundaries and where she fits in the pack hierarchy. Since she can’t talk and tell you, I recommend to have her examined by the veterinarian. If the veterinarian does not find any obvious source of pain, they may look into a bladder infection or anal gland infection as a cause for discomfort. It is always important to rule out medical causes. I hope this helps.

That’s hard to say. Certainly her hormones can make her more unpredictable and prone to mood swings. If only she could talk and tell you! There could also be an element of her maturing into an adult dog now and this will sometimes change things in her idea of the human pack structure. Because of situations like this, I recommend to spay or neuter all pets who are not intended to be breeding animals. It tends to keep them more even keel and generally exhibit less signs of aggression or dominance. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

This would be very uncommon 2 weeks after heat but could be related a false pregnancy (generally seen around the time a dog would be due to give birth). Hormonal treatments may help to reduce the symptoms - contact you rvet for a full assessment

If this is real aggression, you may need to separate them until after the heat cycle and hope for the best. Sometimes problems can persist beyond that. Typically, households with altered dogs will have a lot less conflict than households with intact dogs. There are many benefits to spaying and neutering and I recommend to discuss this with your veterinarian: https://www.petcoach.co/article/spaying-ovariohysterectomy-the-benefits-in-dogs/ Canine aggression is a complex behavior as it can stem from dominance, possessiveness, fear, anxiety, resource guarding or a combination. Most people are not familiar with reading canine body language and training. Because of this, I recommend to work with a professional trainer. Researching on your own will also be helpful. Familiarizing yourself with canine body language and dog training can help you to recognize what your pet is trying to say. You can find many books written on the topic and there is a trainer named Victoria Stilwell who I think is particularly helpful. Best of luck.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Lilly! I have seen dogs act this way when in heat. If the discharge is normal, she is eating and not vomiting I think you can watch her. I always tell me, you know your dog best. So if she is worrying you it won't hurt to have your Vet do an exam. Even if it is just for peace of mind. I wish you and Lilly the best!

Hello, sorry to hear about Snowy. Yes occasionally female dogs may have increased attention demands after their heat cycle. However, some of these similar signs may be seen with a false pregnency. If the signs do not resolve in 3-5 days then she should be seen by her veterinarian so that they may rule out a flase pregnency. Hope this helps and best of luck.