Health & preventionPart of · Health & prevention

Your dog's season (heat): what to expect and how to manage it

Q: How long does a dog's season last?

A season runs for around two to three weeks . A word of caution: the window when she can be mated is shorter than the bleeding lasts, so keep watching even when the bleeding eases off.

Q: How often does a dog come into season?

On average twice a year , so roughly every six months. Some large or primitive breeds only have one season a year, and that's normal for them. The first season comes between six months and two years, depending on adult size.

7 min read

A season (or heat) comes round roughly twice a year and lasts two to three weeks: it's perfectly normal, neither an illness nor a problem. Your dog bleeds a little, attracts males and sometimes has mood swings. Your job: keep an eye on her, make walks and the garden safe, and stay relaxed.

What's happening inside her body

A season is her fertility cycle getting under way, driven by hormones. The bleeding isn't an injury: it's a sign that her body is getting ready, like an internal calendar that comes round every six months.

Four phases follow on from each other; only the first two are really visible.

les premiers jours

Proestrus: the bleeding begins

The vulva swells and bloody discharge shows up on her bed or on the floor. She's already attracting males, but still turns them away.

le milieu des chaleurs

Oestrus: the fertile window

The discharge becomes lighter and the vulva softens: this is when she accepts a male and can be mated. This fertile window is short.

ensuite

Dioestrus: things settle down

Whether or not she's been mated, her body leaves the fertile phase, settles back down and the signs fade away.

jusqu'au prochain cycle

Anoestrus: the long rest

No more signs at all, until the next season, around six months later.

How to tell she's coming into season

The vulva swells and becomes more noticeable.
Bloody discharge appears, red at first and then lighter (sometimes barely noticeable: a tidy dog cleans herself up a lot).
Local males start prowling and become pushy at the gate.
She licks her rear end more.
Her mood shifts: clingier, or the opposite, more distant, sometimes grumpy with other females.

Getting through the three weeks, stress-free

What you need to ride it out calmly.

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If she turns clingy, sulky or grouchy with her friends during this time, it isn't a backslide in her training and you've done nothing wrong: it's hormonal and temporary. Support her calmly, and don't punish a mood she has no control over.

"Stopping" a season: what actually works

There's no home remedy or "natural" trick to stop or shorten a season that's already under way: herbal teas, supplements and tips seen online have no proven effect, and trying to act on the hormones without proper guidance can do harm. What removes seasons for good is spaying. Hormonal options to postpone or suspend a season also exist, but they're prescribed and monitored. These choices are made with your vet, never on your own at home.

Spaying has real benefits (it removes the risk of pyometra and lowers the risk of mammary tumours, especially when done early) and real trade-offs (manageable weight gain, joint effects in large breeds spayed too young, possible incontinence). The right time depends on her breed and adult size: it's a decision to work out case by case with your vet (work by Hart et al. 2020; review by Beauvais et al. 2012 on mammary risk).

After the season: two things to watch

In the weeks that follow, some unspayed dogs go through a phantom pregnancy: they mother a toy, build a nest in a corner, have swollen mammary glands and sometimes produce a little milk. It's common, usually harmless, and settles down within a few weeks. Don't stimulate the mammary glands (that keeps the milk flowing) and do see your vet if the episode is marked, drags on, or comes back with every cycle.

The other thing to watch in an unspayed dog: pyometra, an infection of the womb that mostly occurs in the two months after a season (around one entire dog in four before the age of ten, according to Swedish epidemiology by Hagman et al.). These signs mean you should call your vet.

Keep an eye on

Low spirits, unusual tiredness
Reduced appetite

See the vet soon

She starts drinking and urinating a lot
Vomiting
Pus-like vulval discharge: yellowish, pinkish, foul-smelling

Emergency, call straight away

A distended, painful belly
Very low, listless dog
These signs WITHOUT any discharge: the "closed" form, with no discharge, is the most serious

Jitpean S., Hagman R. et coll. — Closed cervix is associated with more severe illness in dogs with pyometra (BMC Veterinary Research) (2016)
Hart B.L. et coll. — Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs (Frontiers in Veterinary Science) (2020)
Beauvais W., Cardwell J.M., Brodbelt D.C. — The effect of neutering on the risk of mammary tumours in dogs: a systematic review (JSAP) (2012)
Merck Veterinary Manual : cycle œstral, grossesse nerveuse et troubles reproductifs, MSD

Frequently asked questions

How long does a dog's season last?

A season runs for around two to three weeks. A word of caution: the window when she can be mated is shorter than the bleeding lasts, so keep watching even when the bleeding eases off.

How do I know if my dog is in season?

The vulva swells, bloody discharge appears (sometimes barely noticeable), males become pushy and she licks her rear end more. Her mood may also shift: clingier or more distant. If in doubt, your vet can confirm it easily.

How can I stop my dog's season naturally?

There's no home or "natural" remedy to stop a season that's already under way: the tips seen online have no proven effect and some are risky. What removes seasons for good is spaying; hormonal options to postpone them also exist. These choices are made with your vet.

How often does a dog come into season?

On average twice a year, so roughly every six months. Some large or primitive breeds only have one season a year, and that's normal for them. The first season comes between six months and two years, depending on adult size.

Should I let my dog have a litter before spaying her?

No. There's no evidence that a litter would make her more "balanced" or healthier, and pregnancy and whelping carry their own risks. It's a stubborn myth: the decision to spay, and its timing, is made with your vet.

My dog is drinking a lot after her season, is that normal?

Watch this closely in an unspayed dog: drinking and urinating a lot in the weeks after a season, especially with low spirits or vomiting, can signal pyometra (an infection of the womb). With or without discharge, call your vet.

How do I prevent a mating during the season?

Walks on the lead, a genuinely secure and checked garden, and extra vigilance: a determined male comes from far away. Season pants limit the mess but do not prevent reproduction. If a mating has happened, don't try anything yourself, call your vet.

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