• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Cats
    • Cat Behavior Problems
    • Cat Health
    • Cat Nutrition
    • Cat Training
  • Dogs
    • Heat Cycle Info
    • Dog Behavior
    • Dog Health
  • Fish
  • Did You Know?
PET-happy logo

pet-happy.com

Tips to Improve Your Pet's Behavior, Health, and Life...

You are here: Home / Dogs / Dog in Heat / At what age do dogs go into heat for the first time?

At what age do dogs go into heat for the first time?

June 28, 2019; By Maris Munkevics, Signe Munkevica

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.

Do you know at what age do dogs go into heat for the first time?
Photo by angela n.

Female dogs usually 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 veterinarian

Most veterinarians suggest not to worry about a dog not going in the heat, till she has reached 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 issue.

However, if your dog is already past two years, and has not yet come in heat, visit a veterinarian. Reasons for this happening may vary from harmless to dangerous.

Some of the possible causes for a dog not coming in heat may be the genital disease, the low overall health of the dog. For other reasons why your dog might not be coming in heat, check with your veterinarian.

You should also know about a silent heat, which is heat without apparent symptoms. Even though silent heat is quite common in young dogs and smaller dog breeds, it is considered abnormality, which may make you assume, a 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 that the dog owner misunderstands symptoms for something else.

In any case, it is common for dogs not to come up until two years of age. If you feel worried about your dog’s health, it is always wise to visit a veterinarian.

This article is a part of our series about female dogs in heat.

Next: How often do dogs go in heat
Previous: 
Why do dogs go in heat?

We wrote more topics like this one. Please click below.

  • FAQ - Female Dog in Heat
    FAQ - Female Dog in Heat
  • What to do when your dog is in heat?
    What to do when your dog is in heat?
  • Abnormal heat cycles in female dogs
    Abnormal heat cycles in female dogs
  • How to Choose Cat Accessories For Your New Cat
    How to Choose Cat Accessories For Your New Cat

August 19, 2020

About us

This site is lovingly written by:
Signe Munkevica, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
Maris Munkevics, Animal Biologist and Animal Behaviorist.

Primary Sidebar

Recent articles:

My cat is running around like crazy! What to do?

How To Get Cats To Stop Eating Plants: 4 Ways

Can cats eat raw fish?

  • Top 10 Causes For An Excessive Chewing Dog
  • How to Get a Cat into a Carrier Voluntarily
  • How to stop your cat from biting when playing
  • How to stop a cat from scratching bedroom door at night
  • Why is my cat peeing on my stuff?

Dog Behavior

Female french bulldog looking at you with her head tilted

Can a female dog get pregnant while bleeding?

  • Can a female dog get pregnant while bleeding?
  • What to do when your dog is in heat?
  • Do Male Dogs Go In Heat?

Fish

20 Gallon Fish Tank

Best 20 Gallon Aquarium

  • Step by step guide to set up a fish tank
  • How much light does an aquarium need
  • Reasons for white cloudy water in aquariums and possible solutions

Newest Articles

My cat is running around like crazy! What to do?

May 26, 2022 By Maris Munkevics, Signe Munkevica

Is your cat frequently running in circles, trying to catch imaginary objects, zooming (aka cat zoomies) back and forth around the room or even climbing the curtains? Even though cats are well known sprinters, such sudden bursts of activity, at their … Continue here » about My cat is running around like crazy! What to do?

How To Get Cats To Stop Eating Plants: 4 Ways

May 19, 2022 By Maris Munkevics, Signe Munkevica

This spring, we decided to grow lettuce and dill in our windowsill. What a good intention. We could have fresh salad and herbs to make healthy meals. We planted the seeds with our kids help and we all were excited about the prospects. We were even … Continue here » about How To Get Cats To Stop Eating Plants: 4 Ways

Can cats eat raw fish?

May 13, 2022 By Maris Munkevics, Signe Munkevica

There are many myths surrounding the field about your cats diet. The most common ones are things like: Your cat can receive balanced nutrition only from commercial cat food.Meat-by products are evil. We wrote a whole article about this one.Cats … Continue here » about Can cats eat raw fish?

Top 10 Causes For An Excessive Chewing Dog

May 6, 2022 By Maris Munkevics, Signe Munkevica

Is your dog chewing you out of house and home? Of course we know that dogs chew a lot when they are puppies. While most dogs outgrow this habit, some may still continue with this activity and keep chewing on things after they grow up. Sometimes, a … Continue here » about Top 10 Causes For An Excessive Chewing Dog

How to Get a Cat into a Carrier Voluntarily

April 29, 2022 By Maris Munkevics, Signe Munkevica

Getting an unwilling cat into a cat carrier can be a hard task. Almost every cat owner will confirm this. But what about your cat going in to their carrier of their own free will? Many of you are probably shaking your head no and say that it is not … Continue here » about How to Get a Cat into a Carrier Voluntarily

Footer

About us

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Privacy policy
  • About Us
  • Contact us

Search

Affiliate Disclosure:

The following are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  This is used for keeping the blog up and running smoothly. Please know this does not change the price you see on Amazon. Thank you for your help and support of Pet-happy.com!

© 2022 PET-Happy.com
DMCA.com Protection Status