NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 15: White House Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly looks on as US President Donald Trump speaks following a meeting on infrastructure at... Drew Angerer The disconnect between the White Houseâs John Kelly and his boss
A bitch generally has her first estrus season, or heat, at between 6 and 12 months of age, most commonly between 8 and 10 months. Mating will produce a litter at this age, but she is immature, so it is important to guard against that potential. A female dog will normally return to season about every six months. Some have estrus seasons as often as every four months or less. If you are not a serious breeder, the healthiest thing you can do for your female puppy is to spay her before she reaches sexual maturity, according to the PetMD website.
Small breed dogs typically start having estrus (heat) cycles earlier, at 4-6 months of age, while large breeds typically start later, at 9 to sometimes as late as 24 months of age. Estrus cycles can vary between each individual dog, an average of 6 to 12 days. Some cycles can last as few as 2 days, while others can last as long as 21 days.1 Female dogs cycle throughout their life and do not experience menopause (reproductive cycles ceasing with age), like human females do. Learn more about: the canine estrus cycle.