If this is your first time having a puppy at home, you may have a lot of doubts. One of them can be what the process of zeal in your pet will be like. We tell you how long the zeal in lasts so you're well informed!
Clarifications on zeal in dogs
For starters, we want to clarify that zeal occurs in both male and female dogs. In both cases, when their reproductive organs mature, that's when this stage arrives. However, it is not given at the same speed in both cases.
Females usually reach their sexual maturity before males, between 6 and 8 months, compared to 2 or 3 years of male puppies. In addition, the process of zeal does not affect dogs and dogs equally.
Now, we'll move on to focus on the duration of the zeal in the females.
How long the heat lasts in the and what their phases are
As we have said the heat in the arrives relatively soon, around 6-8 months depending on the breed, although in large females it may take longer.
The period of zeal is understood as a cycle composed of several phases. Normally it is summarized in 4 of which, the bitch will have the zeal in the phases known as protestor and estrus.
When a bitch goes into heat, it can last from 15 days (minimum) to 4 weeks. It is very variable, since the breed or health conditions of the bitch can affect.
What is certain is that there are two very important parts.
The first week coincides with the aforementioned protestor. At this point the vulva of the bitch swells and may begin to have a small bleed.
In the second week comes ovulation. The bitch's attitude can change and become more likely to look for the males and want to be close to them.
It is from this week that the bitch will enter her fertile days and be able to get pregnant. If we say that the first day of zeal is when the bitch bleeds, it is estimated that her most fertile days are between the 10-17 days of zeal.
If the bitch has become pregnant, this will be the longest phase, as it includes pregnancy and lactation. Finally, the phase of the ancestor, which would be the phase of sexual rest, would arrive.
Decisions in the face of your bitch's zeal
If we want to clarify the doubt about how long the heat lasts in the bitches, it is also necessary to know that the normal is to have the heat every 6 months (twice a year), but, as we have said, depending on the bitch the heat can be shorter or longer, so there are those who only have zeal once a year.
Now that you know how long the heat lasts in, it's time to consider it when it comes to taking care of your pet.
If you don't want your dog to have puppies, you should consider sterilizing it. It is the best choice in the face of unwanted litters.
In addition, sterilization will also avoid terrible psychological pregnancies, in which the bitch is really having a hard time.