# Question about "heat" stage



## Alois (Feb 4, 2011)

I have heard two different stories on how long females stay "in heat". We have a male and a female and want to board one of them when shes in heat. Heres my question. How long does this period last and any additional info would be appreciated. Don't need any accidents.


----------



## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

Approximately 21 days. Now not all of those days is a female breedable- but the days she is varies from dog to dog. Personally, I would be very reluctant to board a female in heat. They are going to have to keep her very isolated. If they have chain link between their runs at all- that won't do. Dogs can breed through a fence. I would actually be surprised if most boarding facilities outside fo the vets would keep a female in heat. I would board the male if you need to board one. 

Although to tell you the truth- we have 4 males and 1 female in the house, all intact. With crates it really isn't that big of a deal. You just rotate them through and keep the bitch behind closed doors. As soon as my bitch starts bleeding, she goes into quarantine in her crate in DH's office, and is not allowed around the boys again until she has stopped bleeding and her rear end is less swollen.


----------



## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

Most kennels do not accept females in heat


----------



## Alois (Feb 4, 2011)

JKlatsky said:


> Approximately 21 days. Now not all of those days is a female breedable- but the days she is varies from dog to dog. Personally, I would be very reluctant to board a female in heat. They are going to have to keep her very isolated. If they have chain link between their runs at all- that won't do. Dogs can breed through a fence. I would actually be surprised if most boarding facilities outside fo the vets would keep a female in heat. I would board the male if you need to board one.
> 
> Although to tell you the truth- we have 4 males and 1 female in the house, all intact. With crates it really isn't that big of a deal. You just rotate them through and keep the bitch behind closed doors. As soon as my bitch starts bleeding, she goes into quarantine in her crate in DH's office, and is not allowed around the boys again until she has stopped bleeding and her rear end is less swollen.


good to know
thanks


----------



## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

If you must board, I would board the male.

I have one intact male and 2 intact females in the house. I have a safe room where the girls are crated when in heat. The male is crated in another room. I don't allow the girls outside unsupervised. So far I have also taken either the male or the female with me when I leave the house or the male goes outside in the kennel. Probably over kill but I don't want any oops breedings between mom and son or brother and sister.


----------



## RubyTuesday (Jan 20, 2008)

Lisa, I much prefer 'overkill' to 'underkill'.


----------



## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

RubyTuesday said:


> Lisa, I much prefer 'overkill' to 'underkill'.


Agree!

To the OP, while 21 days is the norm for a heat cycle, I'd plan on a full 4 weeks just to be safe because some bitches do go longer, and ovulate later in their cycle than others. And without hormone testing you can be certain when that happens. We had one who routinely was breedable days 18-20. So if we'd missed the first couple of days, and gone by the 21 day assumption on length of heat cycle, we'd have been slacking off on being careful during what for her was the perfect time for breeding. Not good!

Better safe than sorry. I also agree that if you do decide to board one, board the male. Not the bitch in heat even if you do find a kennel who will take her.


----------



## gsdheeler (Apr 12, 2010)

Where I work we do take bitches in season, Hasn't been a problem that I know of. The girl is put in a area where there are only females and the runs are designed to prevent fence fighting. (cinder block walls )


----------

