When is the best time to breed a dog in her heat cycle?

If ever there was a question that caused breeders to fret, it is this one! Knowing when your female is ready for breeding can be tricky, even for the most experienced breeders. So let's chew the cud and thrash out how to get it right so that it does not have to be so stressful. 

Firstly there are physical and behavioural signs you can spot, as well as tests you can run to be accurate. Let’s begin with understanding the heat cycle which has 4 different stages. 

Once you have that piece clear, you can couple that with some handy ovulation tests info so you can get your timing just right. 

The four stages of a dog in heat

Let's break this down into four bite-sized chunks so that you know what to look for when you are at home trying to fathom where your dog is in her cycle;

• Stage 1: Proestrus is when your dog’s body is getting ready to mate. It averages 9 days, but can last anywhere from 3 to 17 days. Her vulva will swell, and you may notice a bloody discharge. During this stage of the heat cycle, your dog will be attractive to a male, but she will not be happy to be mated. 
• Stage 2: Estrus this is the mating phase and usually lasts around 5 to 7 days. Blood flow will slow and then stop, and the discharge changes to a straw colour. Your dog will be open to being mated during this phase. 
• Stage 3: Diestrus follows estrus and is the phase when your dog's body will either proceed with the pregnancy or return to normal, as her vulva returns to its usual size and the vaginal discharge disappears.
• Stage 4: Anestrus is the resting phase between seasons.  

Common behaviours of a female dog in heat

Estrus is the phase you need to spot. With an eagle eye and some pointers on what to look for you will see some changes in her behaviour, as well as the physical changes mentioned above. 

Your dog can be clingy, flirtatious and even look to seek a mate herself. Breeders often report increased instances of anxiety, where their females become worried about being left alone, and separation anxiety-type symptoms start to affect even the most confident of females. Aggression and intolerance towards other dogs is common too, and often females can have an increased appetite. 

Remember, each dog is different, and each season can be different. My top tip here is to take notes on behaviour and physical changes from season to season, even if you are not intending to breed. Having notes to refer back to can really help you when the time comes to breed. 

Cytology and progesterone testing for dogs

Cytology and Progesterone testing are great methods for pinpointing ovulation and can give you invaluable information about the changes that are happening to our dogs that we cannot see. They are becoming more and more commonplace as practices, so let's deep dive into what they are and how they help us.  

Cytology is a non-invasive procedure that involves the examination of vaginal cells from a swab. As your dog nears ovulation, her vaginal cells change shape and appearance. 

The interpretation of these cells and how they are developing is what cytology is based on. It can be performed quickly and easily over several days. As well as letting you know where she is in her cycle, it can also provide you with a heap of other information. 

The swabs can show infection, split seasons and poor ovulation. It can also show evidence of parasites like bladder worms. 

If you decide to explore cytology, do your homework. The information you are given is based on the interpretation of the slides and the cells seen. My advice here is to find a reputable practitioner with lots of positive reviews, Cytology is a real art and experience is key, learn more about cytology in dogs here.  

Progesterone testing involves a blood sample being taken from the dog for analysis. The aim is to measure the rise in progesterone levels prior to ovulation. Progesterone forms part of the body's natural preparation of the womb lining, ready for the fertilized embryos. 
Progesterone levels are measured, and once the reading reaches a certain point, you can predict that ovulation is imminent. 

Please note that taking blood from a dog is not legal unless you are a qualified vet. It is a procedure that does not come without risk and must be undertaken by a qualified professional for the health and welfare of your dog. 

However not all vets offer in-house progesterone testing, and timing is of the essence. My top tip here is to ask the vet to take the sample, which you can then take to a clinician who has the ability to test it. That way you are mitigating risk to your dog, and not falling foul of illegal practice. 

Using progesterone testing AND cytology

Let me tell you a little story about Lilly. Lilly never got the memo about how she was supposed to behave when she was in season, and as a result, she caused me much stress! Lilly was a dog I owned around 15yrs ago, and from the moment she came into season she would show ALL of the signs of being happy to mate! 

In fact, she would stand for the dog from day 2 of her season right through until day 22/23. How on earth could I know when it was right to take her to the stud dog!?! 

Having failed to have a successful pregnancy after 18 months we used cytology AND progesterone testing in tandem with each other, to help us have the fullest picture on her progress. 

It showed that Lilly ovulated very early in her season, as early as day 6! Without the testing, I would have missed her again! She went on to have 7 healthy puppies and was a wonderful mother, all because we invested the time, effort and money into getting the science to support our breeding plans. 

In conclusion

When you are trying to plan a mating and the services of a stud dog, getting those dates right and being accurate is uber important. Avoiding needless frustration to the stud dog and anxiety and stress to the female is key, not to mention the often wasted time and effort spent with repeated appointments. 

Utilising the testing that is available gives you a fuller picture of your dog's sexual health and stage, and a much higher chance of a successful litter. 

Do you have a thirst for learning more on this? Pop over to our Canine Pregnancy and Whelping Course, we cover all you need, for every litter you breed. 

This article is a guest post kindly contributed by Rebecca Walters of Pupstarts Breeders. Pupstarts provide dog breeding courses to help ethical dog breeders to breed, whelp and raise puppies responsibly, safely and with absolute confidence. 

Learn more at www.pupstartsbreeders.com/course