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Heat cycles and timing the mating

Understanding the heat cycle is the difference between a planned litter and a missed season.

The cycle

Most bitches cycle every six to eight months. Proestrus (bleeding, swelling, males interested but the bitch says no) lasts around nine days, followed by estrus — the fertile phase — for roughly another nine, though variation is huge.

Finding the fertile days

Softer vulva, straw-colored discharge and the bitch flagging her tail signal estrus. Progesterone testing at the vet pinpoints ovulation far more reliably than counting days — invaluable when traveling to a stud.

Log everything

Record each heat in the app: start date, behavior, test results and matings. Patterns over cycles make the next litter much easier to plan, and the data follows the bitch's health history.

Test yourself: Heat cycle and timing

Why is counting days from the first bleeding an unreliable way to time mating?
  1. The fertile window varies a lot between bitches and seasons
  2. Bitches are fertile on exactly the same day every time
  3. Bleeding never relates to the cycle

Correct answer: The fertile window varies a lot between bitches and seasons

Cycle length varies widely, so day counting misses ovulation; progesterone testing is far more reliable.

What does progesterone testing help identify?
  1. The puppies' future coat color
  2. The timing of ovulation and the best days to mate
  3. Whether the bitch is already pregnant

Correct answer: The timing of ovulation and the best days to mate

Rising progesterone pinpoints ovulation, guiding the optimal mating or insemination days.

Roughly how often do most bitches come into season?
  1. Every month
  2. Every six to eight months
  3. Only once in a lifetime

Correct answer: Every six to eight months

Most bitches cycle about twice a year, though breed and individual variation is considerable.

After ovulation, why is there a short delay before fertilization is possible?
  1. The eggs need about two days to mature
  2. The bitch must be re-tested for rabies
  3. Sperm cannot survive in the tract at all

Correct answer: The eggs need about two days to mature

Canine eggs mature for roughly two days after ovulation before they can be fertilized, which shapes the best mating days.

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