Having a female dog as a pet is fantastic because one can spend their lonely moments with the most loyal animal. However, taking care of them is equally important especially by knowing the common behaviors of a female dog in heat. Like other animals, female dogs also go through an estrous period, which is normally called heat. This is a period during which the female dog becomes receptive to sexual mating.

Observing whether your pet is in a heat cycle or not is important, therefore. To gauge this, one needs to know the Female dog’s heat symptoms. Knowing these heat-related physical changes in female dogs is not only important but also necessary to maintain your pets’ reproductive cycle.

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Understanding the Idea of Heat in Female Dogs

Understanding the signs of heat in female dogs necessitates delving deep into the actual interpretation of the term heat. It is a time duration when female dogs want sexual mate with male dogs. This cycle comes twice a year in small-sized breeds and at least once in large ones. A heat cycle in female dogs lasts for nine to fourteen days.During that cycle, female dogs want more affection from male dogs; they go out in search of males and show some physical signs.

Ten Signs and Common Behaviors of a Female dog in Heat

Swollen Vulva: First and Foremost, a Sign of Heat

Owing to the heat cycle, blood pressure in female dogs’ increases, which causes more release of estrogen in these creatures. Resultantly, Vulva, which is external reproductive part of female dog below anus, gets swollen due to estrous cycle. This is the first symbol of the fact that your pet is in the ovulation cycle. This needs no specific test, but one can easily observe it with the naked eye.

Heat-Triggered Changes in Female Dogs’ Food Intake

Eating more or less is a routine thing in female dogs when they enter heat. It depends on the nature of your pet’s physiognomy on how this reproductive cycle affects your female dog. With more heat, dogs get excited, which results in either more or less than average. Therefore, one should remain conscious about their dogs’ changing food intake, which is a common behaviors of a female dog in heat.Yet, you need not worry because it will become normal after the healing cycle ends in dogs.

Blood Discharge from Vagina

Imagine discovering blood stains and spots from the place where your female dogs rest. Isn’t it scary and worrying? Ending this tension requires you to look into the reason for this blood discharge. Among other causes, the most common reason for these spots is heat. When female dogs attract more toward male dogs, moderate blood discharge from vaginal area of your pet is normal due to hormonal changes.Instead of getting scared, you just need to expose your pet to a nice breed dog for better reproduction if you want her to reproduce.

Increase in Urination Frequency of Dogs and the Role of Heat

Your beloved female dog may start passing urine in small quantities but more frequently during her reproductive cycle. Female dogs do this not only to relieve their bladder but also to do a process called urination marking. When a female dog is in heat cycle, her body produces more estrogen, which causes the release of pheromones in urine. Male dogs can smell it from a distance and identify that a female dog is open for mating. To attract more dogs, female pets’ urine in small amounts at more places, and this also shows her presence in a specific area. Therefore, if your pet urinates on many places in small quantities, it is a sign and common behaviors of a female dog in heat.

Attracting More Male Dogs

If you see unfamiliar dogs in larger numbers around your female pet, it indicates that your female dog is passing through the estrous cycle. During the heat cycle, these dogs behave towards female dogs not only as an attraction but also aggressively. As we know that female dog does urine marking, and many stray dogs smell it to mark that there is a female dog finding heat. They start following her to your place, and it is a clear sign of heat in your pet.

Flagging Behaviour of Female Dog in Heat

If touched at the back, a female dog will tilt her tail to the right or left, and this shows that she is receptive to mating. They do so because they are in their estrus phase, which is also called the fertile window. By turning tail to either side, female dogs allow male dogs to initiate sexual penetration because of hormonal changes in them.

This happens because they are passing through their ovulation period, and it hints that your female dog is in heat.

Restlessness: Common Behaviors of a Female Dog in Heat

One of the most common behaviours of female dogs in heat is restlessness and agitation because of the release of estrogen in them. They want an immediate male partner as soon as possible, and this is because of a hormonal change in them. If you find your female pet dog in irritation and agitation, this is a clear sign that she is in heat. Thus, do not worry; instead, bring her a good breed dog if you are interested in the birth of her babies.

Mounting and Humping of Female Dogs during Estrus

A common behaviour in dogs is mounting, which is positioning their front legs on the back of other dogs. It sometimes is followed by humping which is thrusting motion especially during heat cycle of your female dogs. Along with these actions, female dogs become excited and start playing with other dogs, people and even with toys during this phase. This is also a common sign that your female pet is in heat.

Trying to Lick the Genital Areas

Owing to swelling, female dogs start licking their genital parts to maintain hygiene. They also do so because of excessive discharge during the ovulation period. This excessive licking is their way of maintaining their cleanliness during the heat cycle. Also, this is an indication that the female dog is passing through heat. As soon as this cycle ends, they return to their routine behaviours.

Altered Posture of Walking and Common Behaviors of a Female Dog in Heat

Because female dogs’ vulva gets swollen during the heat cycle, they walk in a different posture. Spreading back legs help them avoid rashes and pain, they walk with an arched leg posture during the reproductive cycle. Another sign of a heat cycle is that they cannot walk even a normal distance without stopping. Sudden breaks during the walk and a different walking posture hint that the female dog is in heat.

Conclusion

To sum up, swollen vulva, urine marking, seeking attraction and changed walking postures are signs of heat in female dogs. If one wants their pet to reproduce, they must wait for the common behaviors of a female dog in heat. After observing above explained signs, one can bring a good breed dog to get quality puppies from one’s female dog.