How long does first heat cycle last?

[caribbeancrazy]

well i made the appointment yesterday to have both Toby (10 months) and Bella (9 months) fixed, 1 hour later my husband called to tell me that Bella is in heat (she is bleeding and licking constantly) - I am stressed now, I don't know what to do, I have since seperated them and poor Toby thinks that he did something wrong, I put him in the BIG CAGE AND Bella in the small cage or only let 1 out at a time and it's killing me, he sits and waits by her cage and she sists in front of his cage, just staring at each other...........how long with this last, how long is this cycle? When are the danger days?PLEASE HELP!!!!

[rottcrazed]

It will last anywhere from 14 - 35 days. My bitch has always cycled 32 days, bleeding for most of it.

DON'T let his sad face and look of longing fool you - he is looking longingly at her not because he misses her, but because he thinks he might get lucky (wink;).

What you are doing is the best thing you can. Although allowing him to sit outside her crate and pine for her is not really fair ...

You should probably wait at this point to get her spayed until she is all finished her cycle, but there is nothing holding you back from neutering him in the meantime and then you don't have to worry about an accident once he gets back from the clinic minus his buddies.

Kristi

[frontierrots]

well not quite. Males dogs have been known to impregnate females 10-30 days post neutering. depends on how many sperm are hanging out in the "pipes"
Even if he gets neutered asap he will still be a potential danger for this entire cycle

[Alaskan]

I just wanted to add what I've read abefore on these forums and that's dogs can and do breed through cages so be very watchful. They've been known to chew through crates, breed through pens or cages and anything else inorder to get to one another.

[brunie's mom]

I agree!!
Do not leave these dog in the same room..even if one is in a cage. They may mate through the cage.

Also it is not fair to the male dog if he can be around the female and smell her.
Take the male dog in now and have him neutered...then keep them seperated till she has finished her heat...usually 21 to 28 days after the bleeding and swelling begins.

Three weeks after her heat finishes..then have her spayed. Life will be much easier to have both the male and female dogs spayed/neutered.
No reason not to have him done now...so it will be easier to get though this heat for him.

Gina

[SABELLESMOM]

Speaking of an experience 20 years ago with my GSD bitch... They can and will breed thru a crate, or in our case, a 6' high page fence. And we had a nice litter of GSD/Doberman's to prove it.