Most commonly, dogs go in heat twice a year as soon as they reach their sexual maturity. But when is it? In this article you will learn at what age do dogs go into heat for the first time, and should you worry if her heat cycle appears to be late.
Female dogs normally come in heat when they have reached their sexual maturity. In most cases, it is between six and twelve months of age. However, exceptions are possible. And not always they should be considered abnormalities. Smaller dog breeds tend to come in heat at younger ages as they mature earlier, both sexually and physically.
If your female dog has not come in heat by age two, visit a vet
Most veterinarians suggest not to worry about dog not going in heat, till she has reaches two years of age, especially in larger dog breeds. While most commonly dogs go in heat by age on one year, it’s not rare to have some delays, and that is not even a serious iussue.
However, if your dog is already past two years, and has not yet come in heat, you should visit a veterinarian. Reasons for this happening may vary from harmless to dangerous.
Some of possible causes for a dog not coming in heat may be genital disease, low overall health of the dog, or silent heat. There are others as well, so you should check with your veterinarian.
Even though silent heat is quite common in young dogs and smaller dog breeds, it is considered abnormality, which may make you assume, dog has not been in heat, yet. However, it is just because symptoms of the dog being in heat were not strong enough to notice. Also, it is possible, dog owner misunderstand symptoms for something else.
You can read more about heat cycle of female dogs here.
Photo by angela n.