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

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 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.

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