If you have a female rottweiler puppy and it reaches maturity, some changes are on the way. A rottweiler’s heat cycle is a crucial topic for every female dog owner interested in breeding them. The owner must know when does a Female rottweiler goes in Heat?
Female rottweilers can go in heat between the age of 12 to 18 months. But some rottweilers may enter the heat cycle for the first time as early as 6 months. A female will not enter the heat cycle if she has been spayed.
Further, we will look into various signs to know when their first heat occurs and understand different heat cycle stages.
Signs your Rottweiler is in Heat
You can identify your rottweiler’s first heat cycle when you notice her bleeding. The period usually lasts from three to four weeks but can also visibly stop after only two weeks.
There are physical signs you can watch out for to know when the first heat cycle happens:
- Bleeding: As mentioned above, it is an evident sign that your dog has hit puberty, but as your dog progresses through the weeks, the bleeding can become watery. This is when they are highly fertile. If your idea of your dog reaching puberty is heavy bleeding, then it might not be factual. You can detect signs of your dog’s first heat cycle if you see light spots on the floor or where your dog sits.
- Physical changes: When your rottweiler reaches maturity, it also goes through some physical changes. You can see these changes in the external genitalia (vulva). There can be swelling or puffing in this particular area.
- Increased licking: Due to the heat cycle, your dog starts licking or cleaning their genitalia more often than usual. It is an evident sign of the first heat cycle.
- Changes in temperament: The first heat cycle is not limited to just physical changes. Your dog can go through variations in its temperament also. They can be more sleepy during this time or tend to stay close to their owners more than usual. Though these are some common signs, this is not true for all dogs.
- Conducting a test: If you want to know if your rottweiler has reached maturity, you can take a cotton swab and wipe it over her vulva. If there is blood, you will know.
How Often Do Rottweilers Go Into Heat?
Heat cycle patterns vary from dog to dog. There is no specific rule or structure to heat cycles. Rottweilers usually have their heat cycles twice a year or once every six months.
Some dogs even have a cycle that occurs every eight to ten months. Though this is longer than usual, it is normal.
It is advisable to consult a vet if the cycles are excessively irregular. There might be some minor health issues, and vets can advise about what you can do as a dog owner.
How long does a rottweiler bleed when in heat?
A Female rottweiler can bleed for 2 to 4 weeks when in heat. However, it can vary for every dog. Her vulva will return to its usual size, and bleeding will stop when her heat cycle ends.
Taking Care when Rottweiler enters Heat Cycle
Your rottweiler requires special attention when it is going through a heat cycle:
- Cleanliness is important.
- Make sure your dogs are not on any furniture. If you want, you can put on a washable throw on the places where they usually stay.
- Your dog might need extra toilet breaks as it might feel the urge to urinate repeatedly.
- It is advisable to avoid public places for your dog’s walks or exercise during its heat cycle. It is because male dogs can easily find your dog and try to mate. It is easy for male dogs to detect female hormones even from a distance.
- It’s crucial to keep track of your dog’s heat cycle. It can help you get an idea about how often your dog goes into heat.
- If you have any male dogs in your house along with your female rottweiler, it is advisable to keep them at a distance. The heat cycle is a highly fertile time for dogs, and close contact between male and female dogs can cause pregnancy.
By now, you know the basics of the heat cycle. Now let us look at the stages of the heat cycle.
Stages Of Dog Heat Cycle
There are four stages of the dog heat cycle. Let’s look into each in detail:
Proestrus Stage
This stage lasts from five to nine days. The proestrus stage marks the onset of your dog’s heat cycle. You can see the physical and behavioral changes during this stage. Physically, the dog’s external genitalia swells up. Your dog can also become flirtatious or clingy during this stage. There can be minor spotting during this stage.
Estrus Stage
This stage lasts from five to nine days. The estrus stage is the appropriate time for breeding. If there are male dogs around your female rottweiler, this is the stage where he can attempt to mate with her.
Your female dog can also show readiness by flagging. If the male and female dogs are mating, forcing them apart cannot help prevent pregnancy and can even adversely affect both dogs’ health. During this stage, the bleeding slows down.
Diestrus Stage
This stage lasts up to eighty days. During the diestrus stage, female dogs are non-accepting and do not reciprocate the same feelings towards male dogs. This stage ends in pregnancy if mating happens.
Anestrus Stage
This last stage is the in-between stage between two cycles. The length of this stage differs from dog to dog. Similar to female dogs, there is usually no sexual interest from male dogs during this stage.
Final Thoughts
It is your duty as a dog owner to look after your female dog during its heat cycle. Though the information mentioned here is common for all female rottweiler dogs, there will be slight differences from one female rottweiler to another.
Awareness of these facts is necessary for the well-being and successful breeding of your dog.
