# 1st Heat - Cuddles, Exercise, and Food



## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

Firstly, I just have to start off by saying that I absolutely LOVE how cuddly and affectionate Juno has been since coming into her first heat. She's a sweetie pie most of the time, but can be rather aloof with her affections. But since coming into heat, she jumps in my lap, tucks her head into my chest and can't get enough cuddles. And I must admit, I love it. :wub:

Juno's just shy of 7 months now and so far has been having a very textbook heat cycle. I've got a couple questions that I can't seem to get a straight answer for despite all my research online though and hope ye can help me out! 

I understand that a bitches heat cycle runs for approximately 21 days. When do I start counting the days? Is day 1 the day of the first signs of blood? Or slightly before that?

Another question is regarding exercise. We have two large football pitches used by dog walkers nearby our house where the only other dogs (and by dogs, I mean generally no more than 1 to 3 at a time) I see there in the early hours of the morning are all neutered. They are her "friends". Is it safe to continue taking her there for her daily run around if I keep her dog nappy on, or should I wait until the heat cycle is finished? Also, Juno seems more sleepy lately. Is that normal? 

Finally - the appetite. She is RAVENOUS. All the time. And normally she isn't like that. Is it recommended to up her food intake or keep it the same?

Thanks for any advice and direction ye can give. I plan to get Juno fixed when she hits about 18 months. Since this is the first time I've ever dealt with a female intact dog, I just wanna make sure I'm doing this right.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

I'll let the breeders answer the specifics about heat cycles.  All I know is that 3 weeks seems an eternity!

My girl Carly is getting ready to go in heat again. All she wants to do is sleep and eat, and eat and eat! When she's awake, she's incredibly obnoxious, slapping me with her big feet, leaping at me. She's normally well-mannered. 

It would be nice not to deal with heat cycles, but I show her in conformation, so she remains intact.

I have news for her. Today we are attempting to bike together. Have the bike tow leash all hooked up and ready to go. Hopefully she won't kill me.


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## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

Yeah, three weeks is starting to feel like a very long time. She only started bleeding on Friday, so I've got aaaaaaaaages to go. 

I can deal with the drops of blood, the massive appetite and putting her dog knickers on and off a hundred times a day so she can wee. It's the worry of her getting preggers that's got me in a bind. I want to let her play outside like she normally would, but I'm worried if I do, the neighbour dogs will pick up on her scent and try to get into the garden!


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

The general time frame is 3 weeks. I tend to count on the day they start bleeding, each dog can be different so you have to look for the signs. The dog won't be fertile that entire time. Problem is you don't always know when that is unless you get a progesterone test or you have a male around to let you know! I would keep an eye on her, see how the bleeding/discharge is and take note of how swollen her vulva is. 

Sometimes females will go into longer heats during their first couple heat cycles. For example, 6 weeks. You really have to be careful that second week. I wouldn't take her to any public places during that time. At least in my experience, you'll know when she's really in if she starts smelling really badly/strongly, flags or stands, vulva is swollen/soft, shows you her rear and discharge gets lighter/pinker/cream in color. Be most careful during that time. My girl now only gets really in for 3 days or so. But some dogs can go shorter or longer than a week so watch for signals. I am lucky enough to live on a large property so I can exercise my girl during the entire duration of her heat without worrying about accidental litters. However, if I was in the city or in a neighborhood, I would keep my female in the home and outside only for pee/poop on leash with a stick or pole in hand. Entertain her during that time with crate games, indoor play or indoor obedience. I would still exercise her outside with supervision if I knew she wasn't ready yet. 

There is no telling what's normal when a female is in heat. Some get active, some get tired, some go bonkers, other can work through the heat so it's fine that she is a bit more tired. After it's over, you'll wonder why you stressed! 

I wouldn't drastically increase her food intake. You don't want her putting on extra pounds at this age. Maybe you can get creative with food puzzles so it takes longer. Stuff a kong, make some homemade doggie friendly frozen treats, give her carrots/veggies etc. Antlers, nylabones, bully sticks, raw knuckle bones and similar items will keep her occupied. Beans and potatoes did a good job of filling up one of mine when I had her on a diet.


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## drosado (Aug 9, 2011)

When Mia is in heat, she is only allowed outside with supervision. The male dogs in the neighborhood start going crazy when the pick up her scent. We have a 6 ft wooden fenced yard, but I wouldn't put it past a serious male to jump, climb or dig under the fence to get to her. We also have a male dog and he drives us crazy during the first week of her heat. After the first week she doesn't bleed and R.D. settles down some. We are still vigilent about watching them and keeping them apart, but at least he is not making him self sick and us crazy. She is great wearing her "panties" and does not try to take them off. She is very "cuddly" during this time and also has increased appetite. I do increase her food a little and include treats like cheese and liver.


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