# When did your dog go into heat?



## Khaleesiandthepoms

Khaleesi was 14 months old when she had her first heat cycle, lasted 3 long weeks, she is a 35 pound standard poodle.


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## fjm

Poppy had her first real heat at around 67 months! She is very much the younger female in this household, and seems to suppress her own seasons, having "mini seasons' to coincide with her big sister Sophy - my vet tells me that this is not uncommon. At the age of 5 and a half she actually had a heat that was not synchronised with Sophy, and was completely and entirely her own.


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## Tiny Poodles

Toy Timi, 15 1/2 months.
Sadly my earlier girls were spayed at about a year, before having a heat.


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## sweets

Pip is a toy and had her first heat at 8 months, she is now 11months and being spayed on Friday, not looking forward to it but has to be done!


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## Poodlerunner

Piper had her first heat at 13 months and is just over it. I am happy that I have a little breathing room knowing approximately when her next heat will be.

pr


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## glorybeecosta

Cayenne had one heat before I got her and I had her spade at 18 months. No problem at all but I was concerned as she was so small. But had a heck of a time keeping her quite. If I put her in the cage she would jump up and down on her back legs, so for about 6 days she was carried or laying on my lap. Never bothered her stitches.


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## MaceeChocKisses

Naira said:


> Just wondering. I'm not concerned about Naira at all, I just thought it would be fun to compare.
> 
> Please make sure to post whether your dog is a toy, mini or standard.
> 
> Naira will be 10 months old in 4 days. She hasn't gone into heat, but I will update when she does. It could be a long time from now, haha.



Awesome subject!


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## MaceeChocKisses

Tiny Poodles said:


> Toy Timi, 15 1/2 months.
> Sadly my earlier girls were spayed at about a year, before having a heat.


So is it better to wait until after the first heat... My breeder told me after she's 1 year old


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## Tiny Poodles

MaceeChocKisses said:


> So is it better to wait until after the first heat... My breeder told me after she's 1 year old



Yes, it is remarkable how much the body changes with the first heat - now it is easy for me to understand why there are health problems associated with spaying before the first heat. I will never do that again!


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## glorybeecosta

Tiny- prior to this I was told to do it before they went in heat as the chances of Ovarian cancer was less. All my others were done before, except for Cayenne. I was lucky none had Ovarian cancer


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## TrixieTreasure

Naira said:


> Just wondering. I'm not concerned about Naira at all, I just thought it would be fun to compare.
> 
> Please make sure to post whether your dog is a toy, mini or standard.
> 
> Naira will be 10 months old in 4 days. She hasn't gone into heat, but I will update when she does. It could be a long time from now, haha.


Trixie ( if I remember correctly from so long ago), had her first heat at 7 months. With Kaydee, it was 8 months, and then I had her spayed at 10 months. With Trina, my vet felt it was important for her to be spayed before her first heat because she was diagnosed with Idiopathic Seizure Disorder at 5 months of age. She was spayed right at 6 months.


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## itzmeigh

Hazel turned a year this month and she still hasn't had her first heat. I did mention it to her breeder and she said that was normal. I forgot to ask her what was average for her bitches though. But I have the feeling they must come in heat on the later side. 

Personally, I wish she'd just get it the heck over with so I can get her spay done and not have to worry about it anymore.


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## AngelAviary

Stella was 14 months old at her first heat. It lasted 5 weeks. She spotted red for 3 weeks and was still visually swollen 2 weeks later at her groom. She just finished her second heat, 6 months later and again spotted red for almost 3 weeks and is not swollen now 1 week later. It is a bit nerve wracking because if she passes the rest of her health testing I plan to breed her, but I really wont know with out blood tests when she is at the optimum time in her cycle. Oh well, got to finish us the testing first before I worry about any of that! Great question and interesting thread!


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## N2Mischief

You know its hard to remember, but Misha (toy) I think was around 11 months. It was hard to judge because she had a "silent" heat.


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## MaceeChocKisses

CoCoa is a Toy... She is 20 weeks old... what is the average for time frame for their first heat... I was thinking 6/8 months...


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## MaceeChocKisses

N2Mischief said:


> You know its hard to remember, but Misha (toy) I think was around 11 months. It was hard to judge because she had a "silent" heat.


What's a silent heat?


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## N2Mischief

They don't bleed, she just swelled up but no blood


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## Naira

Oh and I'll add...anyone have advice for dealing with the first heat? I have the doggie panties...anything else I should know? 

Of my previous two dogs, one was a girl toy that was spayed before heat and the other was a male. So I'm a first timer here.


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## Tiny Poodles

MaceeChocKisses said:


> CoCoa is a Toy... She is 20 weeks old... what is the average for time frame for their first heat... I was thinking 6/8 months...



It could be anywhere from 9-16 months - ask your breeder when hers generally come in. Timi's breeder told me 13-15 months, so I wasn't worried that she was so late.


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## peppersb

Cammie's first full heat was at 15 1/2 months. She may have had a silent heat at 8 1/2 month -- or maybe not. I'm not really sure what happened. Here are my notes:

8 1/2 months: Bob, my 11 year old neutered male poodle, suddenly acquired boundless energy and an overwhelming interest in humping Cammie. Hump from behind, hump her head when he can't get to her rear, hump the air around her. Or just stand there panting with his erect (yes, erect) tail nervously wagging short quick wags. Cammie turned it into a game of catch me if you can. She picks up toys to throw in his face, and then she runs away from him and keeps her rear end away from him. She doesn't like the humping, but she does like the energy/attention. This lasted only one day. No bleeding that I could see.

15 1/2 months: Cammie started bleeding. Bleeding lasted about 3 weeks and was bright red throughout. No signs of special interest from Bob. 

One of Cammie's daughters is in heat now -- first heat. She is 17 months old. Cammie's other daughter was spayed before her first heat.


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## Tiny Poodles

Naira said:


> Oh and I'll add...anyone have advice for dealing with the first heat? I have the doggie panties...anything else I should know?
> 
> Of my previous two dogs, one was a girl toy that was spayed before heat and the other was a male. So I'm a first timer here.



It really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Of course Timi is small, so the drops of blood were smaller than a dime, she really did not even need panties during the day, just at night when was laying in one spot, and the bleeding only lasted maybe 12-14 days tops. It was really surprising how huge the vulva and boobs got - she looked like she got a set of tiny, perfectly round breast implants lol. And she wanted nothing to do with other dogs for two weeks before, and surprisingly, a full three months after. In fact although she is getting back to playing with other dogs, she is a lot more reserved and cautious with them than she used to be, she only goes into full out play mode with dogs just her size or smaller - no more racing through the dog park with 15-25 pound dogs trying to keep up with her.


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## TrixieTreasure

Naira said:


> Oh and I'll add...anyone have advice for dealing with the first heat? I have the doggie panties...anything else I should know?
> 
> Of my previous two dogs, one was a girl toy that was spayed before heat and the other was a male. So I'm a first timer here.




I didn't get Trixie spayed until she was 6 years old ( bad decision on my part, should have done it a lot earlier), but I remember, she also had silent heats. She came into heat pretty regularly after her first heat. Just about every 7 months. Only a couple of small droplets, and swelling. With Kaydee, it was pretty much the same. Not very much at all. I think having the doggie panties is really all that's needed, except maybe something extra for night time.


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## Poodlebeguiled

Let's see...my first one was in NJ in about 1958 or 1959. Then in 1962 or 63. Then there was the one in about 1990. That was it for the females. My last female, my Chihuahua didn't have a heat that I noticed before she was spayed. 

:act-up:


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## PoodleRick

Penny was 8 months old if I remember correctly. Might have been 7 months.

Rick


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## Spoos+Ponies

Magda was 10 months the first time. I just got a referral from my vet for a vascular surgeon. After much to-ing and fro-ing, tubes tied or ovary-sparing, I've decided to go for ovary-sparing spay. I hate the idea of removing her parts and causing her such discomfort, but I recently read an interesting article on dog reproduction, and I can see how multiple heats without pregnancy could be harmful. I tend to assume other species are similar to us, but they do sound quite different. Keeping her ovaries sounds like a reasonable compromise to me.

I was supposed to have a consult right away, but she's just started another heat early, so I will be waiting 2-3 months now. Her first heat wasn't too big a deal, but this time she seems quite uncomfortable at night. I won't miss the constant anxiety looking for other dogs, and having to restrict her freedom so much. I just get human Depends type pants, and cut a hole for the tail - she doesn't mind them at all, and doesn't try to remove them.


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## Tiny Poodles

Spoos+Ponies said:


> Magda was 10 months the first time. I just got a referral from my vet for a vascular surgeon. After much to-ing and fro-ing, tubes tied or ovary-sparing, I've decided to go for ovary-sparing spay. I hate the idea of removing her parts and causing her such discomfort, but I recently read an interesting article on dog reproduction, and I can see how multiple heats without pregnancy could be harmful. I tend to assume other species are similar to us, but they do sound quite different. Keeping her ovaries sounds like a reasonable compromise to me.
> 
> 
> 
> I was supposed to have a consult right away, but she's just started another heat early, so I will be waiting 2-3 months now. Her first heat wasn't too big a deal, but this time she seems quite uncomfortable at night. I won't miss the constant anxiety looking for other dogs, and having to restrict her freedom so much. I just get human Depends type pants, and cut a hole for the tail - she doesn't mind them at all, and doesn't try to remove them.



I thought about ovary sparing, but it would still mean that other dogs were interested in her, and she would want nothing to do with them - basically all the same negatives as a heat but without the fertility.
I have a friend who is considering removing the ovaries, and sparing the uterus, and I don't understand that one at all!


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## Spoos+Ponies

I did think about that as well, that there would still be a heat, but no diapers, and no pregnancy. There aren't that many dogs around here, so it wouldn't be too much of a nuisance. I'm happy for her to keep her hormones.

I heard about the uterus sparing one as well - I , too, don't understand the benefit. Apparently the uterus just atrophies.


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## Tiny Poodles

Spoos+Ponies said:


> I did think about that as well, that there would still be a heat, but no diapers, and no pregnancy. There aren't that many dogs around here, so it wouldn't be too much of a nuisance. I'm happy for her to keep her hormones.
> 
> 
> 
> I heard about the uterus sparing one as well - I , too, don't understand the benefit. Apparently the uterus just atrophies.



Yes, why leave something that could develop cancer or an infection? She is of the mind that "if it is not broken, why take it out". But I think, if you are not using it, get rid of it while you are in there! But she has yet to discuss it with the surgeon, perhaps she will change her mind after she does...


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## Naira

Well as a total shocker...Ms Naira went into heat today at 10.5 months old. Swollen vulva, light bleeding...so happy it happened today because I just came back from out of town. 

Since I was gone for 5 days I don't know if she had any behavioral changes leading up to it. She's definitely more clingy right now. 

Today she jumped into my bed to cuddle. She has NEVER jumped into my bed when I was in there or really ever before...

I was prepared with doggie panties.


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## Tiny Poodles

Now that you bring this thread back up, I should add that Timi is finally back to her old, leader of the dog park self, and I feel more certain than ever about the spaying - I don't want her to spend 8 months of the year (4 months for each heat) as a recluse because of her hormones.


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## Indiana

Maddy never did have a heat cycle, and I had her spayed at 19 months. Indy had her first one at 22 months, and has about a 7 month cycle. I have recently wondered if I will ever have her spayed....I may not. Of course I won't breed her, but I don't really see the need for the surgery.


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## zooeysmom

Indiana said:


> Of course I won't breed her, but I don't really see the need for the surgery.


I would be worried about mammary tumors. My Maltese had one last summer and gave me quite a scare. I adopted her from the shelter when she was about 3 and had her spayed immediately. The chance of an unspayed dog developing tumors is about 1 in 4, and if they do have a tumor, the chances of it being malignant are about 50%. So, IMHO, way too risky to not spay a pet dog.


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## TrixieTreasure

zooeysmom said:


> I would be worried about mammary tumors. My Maltese had one last summer and gave me quite a scare. I adopted her from the shelter when she was about 3 and had her spayed immediately. The chance of an unspayed dog developing tumors is about 1 in 4, and if they do have a tumor, the chances of it being malignant are about 50%. So, IMHO, way too risky to not spay a pet dog.


TOTALLY AGREE! I can't even remember WHY I didn't spay my Trixie when she was young, but I actually waited until she was 7. I wasn't wanting to breed her, so I should have gotten her spayed. Because of my stupidity, she developed mammary tumors. Thankfully, they were benign but still, I should have spayed her years before that. We did spay her shortly thereafter that traumatic experience. She then lived to the age of 15.


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## Naira

Naira will probably have one more heat before I spay her.

I'm so confused on when she can be around other dogs/go to the dog park again...this is day 1 of her heat. So after 3 weeks?


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## Tiny Poodles

Naira said:


> Naira will probably have one more heat before I spay her.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm so confused on when she can be around other dogs/go to the dog park again...this is day 1 of her heat. So after 3 weeks?



I think two weeks after she stops bleeding is good. You will see all of the swelling start to go down. 
The problem for Timi is that she did not want to be around other dogs for over three months.


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## TrixieTreasure

Naira said:


> Naira will probably have one more heat before I spay her.
> 
> I'm so confused on when she can be around other dogs/go to the dog park again...this is day 1 of her heat. So after 3 weeks?


Yes, after 3 weeks. To be on even a safer side, 3 and 1/2 weeks. You'll be able to tell just by observing her.


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## Manxcat

Pippin was 14 months when she had her first heat and we had her spayed about 2-3 months after that.

It was recommended to us that she wasn't "safe" until about 2 weeks after the bleeding stopped, but as she showed absolutely no interest in other dogs during the heat (or they in her) it wasn't too much of a bother for us, apart from not letting her off the lead of course! Just in case


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## Naira

Just an update on day 3 of Naira's heat for anyone curious...I was told that some people with toys didn't even notice their dog was in heat....

For Naira...it is a lot of blood!!! Luckily I have lots of different colored doggie panties and pads for her because I'm having to change it often. 



















As far as the way she's acting...she's pretty lethargic and clingy. She still has energy to play fetch in our large fenced in area but...usually she would want twice a day before she started pestering me. Now she seems content sleeping all day and playing fetch once. 

If anyone wants stats on these doggie panties I can share a link...I found them to be the perfect size and they are adjustable.

Luckily she doesn't mess with them or try to take them off


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## Indiana

I'm not too worried because in the UK altering dogs is not done routinely and they're not skewing the cancer stats with huge spikes, and also overall dogs only have a 27% chance of getting cancer. All dogs, all cancers. That's less than humans!


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## Indiana

Inconvenience is a factor though


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## Naira

Indiana said:


> Inconvenience is a factor though


It certainly is inconvenient, but thank God it's just twice a year. I really want Naira to grow and mature a bit more. I can tell she's filling out and becoming "Dam" ish now.


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## sophie anne

Naira said:


> If anyone wants stats on these doggie panties I can share a link...I found them to be the perfect size and they are adjustable.
> 
> Luckily she doesn't mess with them or try to take them off


Yes, please! Do they come in smaller sizes for the little ones?


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## ArreauStandardPoodle

Holly was nine months, Journey 11 months, Pearl 14 months- all Standards


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## Naira

sophie anne said:


> Yes, please! Do they come in smaller sizes for the little ones?


http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Solution-Washable-Diaper-Cover-Ups/dp/B00331B22I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1441991626&sr=8-2&keywords=dog+panties

These are a small and should fit a toy or mini ^^^







^^^^^I bought Naira a large which is the perfect size for a standard...it's very adjustable too 

I also put a small pad inside


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## zooeysmom

Thank you, Naira's mom. I'm going to order the pants just in case Maiz goes into heat before her spay. Can you use women's pads or pantiliners, or is it best to get the ones made for dogs?


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## Naira

zooeysmom said:


> Thank you, Naira's mom. I'm going to order the pants just in case Maiz goes into heat before her spay. Can you use women's pads or pantiliners, or is it best to get the ones made for dogs?


I used women's pantie liners/pads!


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## Tiny Poodles

I even found some Timi sized underlinners (well just about an inch too long). I looked at the reviews on Amazon, and found a brand that everyone said was way too small.


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## ArreauStandardPoodle

Here is a video we did to show how to use undies with a pad, rather than buying expensive doggy panties
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUQhPNqijdw


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## ArreauStandardPoodle

Indiana said:


> Maddy never did have a heat cycle, and I had her spayed at 19 months. Indy had her first one at 22 months, and has about a 7 month cycle. I have recently wondered if I will ever have her spayed....I may not. Of course I won't breed her, but I don't really see the need for the surgery.


I would be concerned about mammary tumours and pyometra. Having been through both with my girls, if I were not a breeder my ladies would be spayed at eight months old to avoid a first heat reducing the risk of either to nearly nil.


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## ArreauStandardPoodle

Breeding frequency and bitch age | Ruffly Speaking


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