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How Often Do German Shepherds Go Into Heat

How Long Do Heat Cycles Last For German Shepherds

How Long Does German Shepherd Stay In Heat?

You may have noticed a trend in this article so farheat cycles can vary widely, and size plays a pretty big role. Thats true for how long each heat cycle lasts, too.

Some dogs, often the very tiny breeds, may be in heat for only a few days. Others can be in heat for weeks on end. Shorter heat cycles of less than a week are pretty rare though.

The average heat cycle for a German Shepherd is about three weeks.

As your dog ages, her cycles may shorten or lengthen. If youre concerned, ask your vet. They may decide to check her hormone levels and do a physical to be sure nothing scary is happening.

Most likely, however, its just normal aging stuff.

How To Control Bleeding During Heat

Purchasing some pet diapers for your dog to wear throughout the house can help to control the bleeding.

It may appear awkward the first time round, but as you go through the continual cycle, youll find that pet diapers save you time and energy that you can spend playing with your pet.

We have to let them stay away from the furniture when possible and place her in an area of the house with a floor that cleans effortlessly instead of carpet or rugs for the duration of the heat cycle.

When Do Female German Shepherds Go Into Heat Cycle

Just like most female animals, female German Shepherds experience heat cycles. This is the stage in your female dogs life where its reproductive hormones start acting up. If you are a first-time dog owner or you have no experience with female German Shepherds, then it could get a little tricky for your dog during this period. However, with a little bit of help, you can understand your dog better and help it navigate this stage in its life seamlessly.

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When Do Female German Shepherds Go Into Heat

Knowing the signs of a doggy in the heat is very important. Not only does your preparation prevent a litter of puppies, but also a ton of confusion. When do female german shepherds go into heat?

There are quite a few indicators of when your german shepherd is in heat. Starting with the physical aspects:

  • A female german shepherds vulva gets slightly swollen during this period. It is not the most noticeable signs of heat though. Most people notice more behavior-oriented signs. These could include:
  • Mounting and humping on inanimate objects. This is another sign of the estrus period.
  • Another more notable sign is random and frequent urination. This may be thought of as a mating tactic. It spreads their scent or pheromones. This is also because, with all thats going on, their bladder movements tend to be a bit disoriented.
  • Blood tinged vaginal discharge is another symptom. This is an obvious symptom that is often the first one to be noticed by dog owners.
  • Due to the above-mentioned behavior, it would be advisable to cover your furniture with plastic sheets during your dogs heat. This is because although your dog is concerned with cleaning themselves, they arent exactly clean freaks with furniture.
  • Lack of appetite and agitated behavior are two more signs. Your german shepherds hormones may make them more susceptible to behavioral changes. So stay patient but firm with them.

Caring For A German Shepherd In Heat

When Does A German Shepherd Go Into Heat? Easy To Spot Signs

So, now you have got this far, youre basically an expert in how the heat cycle works and what to look out for. The next step is taking the necessary precautions to take care of your German Shepherd while she is in heat.

In this section of this guide, we will take you through some steps you can take to make your poochs cycle a little easier for everyone involved. We will also give you some tips on how to handle a male German Shepherd who doesnt know what to do with himself when hes near a female in heat.

  • Let Mother Nature do her thing

Fortunately for you, you mostly just have to leave your dog to do whatever she needs to do. Mother Nature works in wonderful ways, and just because we cant hear what the dog is thinking doesnt mean she doesnt know what to do. From the moment she has her first heat cycle, her natural instincts will set in immediately.

This means that you dont need to interfere too much with your dog while she is in heat. It might seem a bit inhumane, especially if you have a uterus yourself, and you can empathize with the potential discomfort your dog is going through. However, its much safer for you to allow Mother Nature to do her thing than to get involved and potentially stress your dog out.

  • Give her some love
  • Protect your home

While there are disposable dog period pants available, we recommend buying reusable washable ones for the benefit of the environment.

  • Use your leash
  • Isolate the dog
  • Go to the vet
  • Get her spayed

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Male Vs Female German Shepherd: Which Is Better

Many people fall in love with one of the worlds top dog breeds the German Shepherd Dog.

But which is better

A male or female German Shepherd?

Today, youll learn the ups and downs of choosing a male or female German Shepherd and get answers to your top questions.

So, which should you choose

A male or female German Shepherd?

The answer might surprise you!

How Long Does A Female German Shepherd Stay In Heat

Heres what I learned from breeding my black female German Shepherd. When I decided to breed my female German Shepherd Val. Being a new GSD owner, I was curious too how long she will be in heat, and how long the full heat cycle would last. This is what I learned. The average heat cycle stages about 21 days and total, depending on each individual German Shepherd it could be different.

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Is My Female German Shepherd In The Heat How Can I Tell

The first stage Proestrus: the appearance of vaginal bleeding, swelling of the vagina, and an increase in urination .

The most noticeable thing when you have female GSD in the heat is that even if you do not know that your female GSD is hot, when the male dogs start hanging around the house.

In this first stage, your female German Shepherd rejects the males. Fertilization does not occur at this time. The average length of proestrus is 9 days.

Stage II Estrus: The time allowed for a female dog to breed with a male. This time is also known as the Standing Heat and lasts anywhere from 4 to 21 days, depending on the individual German Shepherd Dog.

A specific behavior to watch out for during this time is called flagging, which lasts between 4 and 7 days.

Your dog can lift his tail and/or rub the back end of her against various objects such as walls or fencing.

This is just an indication that your girl is getting ready for adoption. Ovulation occurs during this flagging phase.

As with any female GSD in the heat, dark red, bloody vaginal discharge will eventually change to a lighter shade of red over time.

In most dogs, once this vaginal discharge turns brown or grassy, the dog is very ready to accept males and breed.

Overall this phase averages 7 days. Keep in mind that this time interval will remain the same even if the dog is pregnant. If fertilization does not occur, this stage returns to the anestrus, which is the fourth stage.

Training Differences In Male And Female German Shepherds

German Shepherds and Summer HEAT…with GSM & Star

German Shepherds are one of the smartest dog breeds to own.

They are highly intelligent and have a natural curiosity to learn new commands and behaviors.

German Shepherds are ready for you to train them daily and are easier to train compared to many other dog breeds.

Males can also become more dominant, especially as they mature, and may become difficult for you to train. While females tend to want to appease their owners more readily and are better suited to a new owner.

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Keep Your Pet At Home

If you dont want your female GSD to get pregnant, it is still ideal for keeping her indoors until the end of the cycle. You have to leave your pet for at least 20 days until the heat cycle dissipates. It is very good that you feed your German Shepherd with a lot of food to lower his heat intensity.

How Long Does German Shepherd Heat Last

A heat cycle in a German Shepherd can go from 2 to 3 weeks. Usually, a female German Shepherd stays in heat for 3 weeks. Dogs come in heat approximately every six months. In this period, the German Shepherd bleeds continuously, and the blood is very dark on the first day. When she progresses through the cycle, the blood will get lighter and lighter.

The blood starts to become pinker until the point it gets clear.

Stages of heating period:

  • Proestrous : This is the first stage of the dogs heating cycle. In this period there are going a lot of hormonal changes in the German Shepherds body. The males can be attracted very much to the female, but usually, in this period, the female is not ready to be bred. During this period, the dog has a hard swelling vulva, and the bloods color is very dark.
  • Estrus : Estrus is the second stage of the Heating period. In this stage, the female is ready to be bred. Her tail may move up or to the side. It means that she is putting her self available to the males. The blood color will become lighter, and the vulva will soften up.
  • Then there is the final stage when the female dog will not be interested in mating anymore. The blood discharge will stop and clear, and she will start to become normal again.
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    Understand Your Pet In Its Cycle

    Your female GSD may get restless in her heat cycle, so you should try to understand her until she passes. You can play with your pet, run or do other activities on your property that do not expose them to other dogs. It is very good that you exhaust all the energy of your German Shepherd in 20 days of heat.

    Signs Of Heat In German Shepherds

    When Do German Shepherds Go Into Heat

    More frequent urination often signals the start of the heat cycle in GSDs.

    There are many physiological changes taking place inside her, so her systems may seem out of whack.

    But frequent urination is also Mother Natures way of ensuring your female dogs scent is spread around, announcing her receptiveness to breeding.

    A blood-tinged discharge may be present during estrus, and it happens to be the sign that most people notice first.

    Many dogs clean themselves very well during this time so there is nothing to worry about, but not all are able to keep up with this.

    Its best to provide protective garments to keep this discharge off your furniture.

    A swollen vulva is a frequent occurrence during heat. Your dog may spend more time licking herself and cleaning this area. Its best not to disturb her she wont hurt herself, and the swelling is not from irritation.

    Nervousness or distraction are two behavioral signs of heat in German Shepherds. This is due to the surge in hormones.

    She may be confused about whats happening during her first heat cycle, which can increase nervousness. However, not all dogs go through this phase. Many simply take it in stride.

    Flagging is the act of flipping her tail to one side and presenting her vulva to male dogs in the vicinity. While generally harmless, some dogs even flag their owners.

    It may become a bit annoying if your dog is particularly insistent about it, but try not to punish her for this behavior. She honestly cant help herself.

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    Taking Care Of A Female German Shepherd In Heat

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    There are many ways of caring for a female German shepherd in heat. With what you learned in the previous topics, you should already have an idea of what to do.

    Practice Good Hygiene: As previously mentioned, one of the signs that a German shepherd is in heat is bleeding.

    So, to avoid stains in your house, you should keep your female German shepherd clean at all times. She may also clean herself by licking.

    In this case, you can simply cover your furniture since your female GSD are likely to rub against them. That way, you can leave your dog be and let her clean lick herself as a dog should.

    Attend to Your Dogs Needs: A female German shepherd in heat is likely to undergo some personality changes. Thats why you should always pay attention to what your dog is doing.

    For example, if shes being restless, you can play with her, brush her hair, or anything that involves activity.

    Keep Your Dog Inside: If you dont want your female dog to be pregnant, Id suggest leaving the doors closed every time you go out. Why?

    During the heat cycle, male dogs will be hanging out in your place waiting for your female pet to go outside. So to minimize the risks of an accidental mating, its only natural to avoid these male dogs.

    If youre able to do all these, you dont have to worry about any problems coming your way with a German shepherd in heat.

    Why Does A German Shepherd Like The Sun

    People speculate that a little activity under the sun may actually benefit your German Shepherd. Dogs sweat through their tongues and their bodies dont heat up the same way a humans body would. Instead of heating a dog up, the motion may actually replenish the air trapped under a dogs fur.

    In general, dogs experience the heat cycle every six months or twice a year. Smaller breeds, however, can come into heat every 4 months. How Long is a German Shepherd in Heat?

    Some female German Shepherds can come into estrus as early as every 4 months, while others may do so only once a year. Some canine heat cycles, just like in human females, may be shorter than average while other dogs may have longer ones .

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    Taking Care Of A Labradoodle In Heat

    If you have a female Labradoodle thats about to go into heat, you will soon discover that it can be a full-time job to look after her. Every male in the neighborhood can tell that she is in heat, and they will do whatever they can to mate with your dog.

    Some of my friends with female dogs have told me how theyve had neighbor dogs getting themselves stuck in their fence, trying to get to their dog, only to find they couldnt get through the fence and instead end up getting stuck.

    And when they tried to get the dog unstuck, he would growl and snap at them, so getting him out of the fence was quite the challenge.

    Luckily they kept their female dog in a kennel with a roof on so there was no way he would be able to mount her anyway, but that certainly didnt stop him from trying.

    One thing I would strongly advise that you do to protect not only your dog but also your home is to put her in a diaper for dogs.

    Not only will these diapers help keep your carpet clean from blood spatters, but they can also work as a modern-day chastity belt for your pup as no male dog will be able to mate with her when the diaper is in place.

    I dont have a female dog currently, but a lot of the fellow dog owners in my social circle recommend the Pet Parents Washable diapers as a product they\ve been very satisfied with.

    Check this link to find the current best price on these diapers.

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    When Does A German Shepherd Go Into Heat All The Signs

    How to breed a German Shepherd

    One problem female German Shepherd owners face is how to prevent unwanted puppies. If they have a male and a female that isnt spayed, they should be careful or be happy to deal with a jolt when puppies are found tucked up next to a proud new mother.

    German Shepherds have to go into heat twice a year however, some shepherds can enter a heat cycle more often. Some even go into heat season once every 4 to 6 months. German Shepherds can differ in their personality changes. Length of heat, messiness, and amount of discharge.

    Learn to observe your Shepherd and get to know their specific signs of a heat cycle. If you want to produce a brood of puppies, it is always advisable to wait until they are in at least their third part of a heat cycle before you consider breeding them. Before breeding, consult a vet get them to check her, and be sure to know she has all her shots. Carefully choose a partner and focus on developing the bloodline of your Shepherd.

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    When Should I Get My Female Puppy Spayed

    There are some myths when it comes to spaying your female dog.

    • You shouldnt spay your dog until she has had a litter of pups because this will make her a better pet.

    This is not true. A good pet is a result of temperament and upbringing.

    • My females temperament or protection instincts will decrease after being spayed.

    This is not true. A dogs temperament or primal protection instincts stem from genetics, not the capability to reproduce.

    The average age to spay tends to be between four and six months of age. This will vary from Veterinary to Veterinary, so check with yours for more info.

    For years it has been recommended by experts to spay your female puppy before her first heat cycle for health reasons.

    However, new data and research are discovering more significant long-term health benefits in waiting for your dog to develop and mature before spaying or neutering.

    Spaying and neutering early are being linked to a higher risk of cancer .

    Dogs spayed or neutered at six months have a greater risk of hip dysplasia and cranial cruciate ligament injuries.

    Urinary incontinence in females spayed early is also common.

    Spaying and neutering is a very common procedure.

    The cost for the procedure varies, but to find discounted services by a licensed veterinarian in your area.

    If you purchased your female puppy for breeding, you should take this endeavor very seriously.

    Dog breeding takes a lot of hard work, so you need to be sure that this is something you are willing to commit to.

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