# How can you tell when a bitch is past the conceivable stage of heat cycle?



## pfitzpa1

I have a 1yr 8mo bitch that is in her heat cycle right now. She finished spotting last thursday (or spotting became clear and un-noticable) and last night and this morning she has started spotting again, a little bit which are very light colored (pinkish). We're heading on vacation for 4 days on Thursday of this week and I'm dropping her off with a friend (his male is neutered) but I want to be able to advise/heads-up him on contact with other dogs while we are gone.

Secondly would a neutered male actually mount an intact female?


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## Moxy

My little dog has...oddly enough.


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## RebelChevyGal

pfitzpa1 said:


> Secondly would a neutered male actually mount an intact female?


This is the only question I know the answer to... YES. My friend has a neutered AmBulldog/Boxer mix, and he is ALWAYS mounting my intact American Bully out of heat. Its pathetic. And she just takes it because she's too much of a sissy to put him in his place.


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## wolfy dog

Once they finished spotting they are the most fertile so you better watch out. But some conceive during spotting; it is varies per dog.
She should not have contact with intact dogs until the vulva goes back to the normal size. Also recently castrated males can sire litters. 
Hope you make it back from vacation without a surprise n a few months.


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## pfitzpa1

RebelChevyGal said:


> This is the only question I know the answer to... YES. My friend has a neutered AmBulldog/Boxer mix, and he is ALWAYS mounting my intact American Bully out of heat. Its pathetic. And she just takes it because she's too much of a sissy to put him in his place.



Is he just "mounting" behavior or an actual copulation?


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## pfitzpa1

wolfy dog said:


> Once they finished spotting they are the most fertile so you better watch out. But some conceive during spotting; it is varies per dog.
> She should not have contact with intact dogs until the vulva goes back to the normal size. Also recently castrated males can sire litters.
> Hope you make it back from vacation without a surprise n a few months.


Thanks, my friends dog has been neutered several years now, so she should be same with him.
How long after spotting has stopped is she in the danger zone?


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## lhczth

Some neutered males can actually tie with a female. They might not be able to make them pregnant, but they are able to do the rest. 

Ways to know if she is fertile would be a good experienced male or progesterone tests.


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## bocron

I mark my calendar on day one of spotting. Then I mark days 10-18 as the NO ZONE. I don't assume anyone is done until day 21 to be safe. I have all my boarding clients do the same, if they want me to keep a female while in season I need to know the dates. Not that I wouldn't segregate them securely anyway, but I like to know. I have a little male Lancashire Heeler who we call "the indicator" LOL and when a girl is getting toward the end we get him out to gauge his interest. Once he doesn't seem to care then no one else will either .
I have a friend whose 9yo male neutered Papillion tied their female Cavalier. Needless to say they were shocked (and the husband was kind of proud :/).


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## marbury

Yep, my neutered male surprised me by completing a 25 minute tie with one of my bitches. He lost his privileges after that, lol. I agree with the above post; an experienced stud will take one sniff and know. If he's not putting in any effort she's in the clear.


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## wolfy dog

Like I said there is no said time for each dog. I would consider them "safe" when the vulva is pre-estrus size.


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## RebelChevyGal

pfitzpa1 said:


> Is he just "mounting" behavior or an actual copulation?


Just mounting. He gets yelled at before anything else can happen. lol

Also I think he may be too stupid to know what to do... he's always like miles off.


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## vomlittlehaus

Every bitch is different. Some have split heat cycles, some have silent ones, some have long ones, and some short ones. And the same bitch can have them all in her lifetime. Progesterone testing is the sure method, or an experienced male, to tell you when she is ready. Then you will know when she is done.


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