ALL ABOUT THE FEMALE DOG CANINE HEAT CYCLE
How can I tell if my female is in heat ?
Answer: Most of the time, the signs can range from excessive cleaning of the vulva, bleeding from the vulva , drinking extra water, being very clingy, and mounting other dogs of any sex or mounting toys etc. These all indicate a coming heat or in heat. Remember, every female is different just like people. Your female may exhibit all or just some of these signs. Some females hardly bleed at all.
When do I let my female be bred?
Answer: I like to breed my girls 3 times, on days 10 , 12, and 14. 12th day is usually the day they ovulate. But I like to get in an early and late breeding to keep a high level of live sperm in case she ovulates early, or late. The females blood flow will be very dark and heavy , and lighten to a more pinkish color and the flow will slow down. Thats when you breed her. She will also flag her tail from side to side when you tap on the side of her vulva. But, some females flag only when ready to breed, some females flag for 2 weeks. The trick to all of this – is putting all the signs together to make a complete picture.
Can eggs be fertilized on different days?
Answer: I always thought that some eggs may have dropped a few days after the majority, because of the birth of extra tiny puppies are puppies that were not quite as developed as others. The reality is, that there is only a 24 hour period in which an egg can be fertilized. The outside of the egg is hit with a leutanizing hormone that allows the sperm to enter. This means , if you breed to late you can miss, being early is better. If you see an underdeveloped or extremely tiny puppy at birth, its because of placental location. The placenta in a favorable spot in the uterine horns with good attatchment will let that puppy grow and develop well. While a puppy with a placenta in a bad location will not get the necessary blood flow to the placenta to properly grow. This is why you never ever put a deposit on a brand new day old puppy because its tiny, it could be the biggest puppy in the liter by 8 weeks old.
What do I do if I can’t tell when to breed my female ? What do I do if I don’t know when my females heat started ?
Answer : If your female doesn’t show good signs of when to breed and you don’t have a male around to tell you when. You need to work with your board certified veterinarian to do progesteroe testing. They will tell you when she will ovulate.