our puppys first heat

Question
Our golden retriever puppy will be a year old in the end of March. She has just started her first heat... she bleed for a week, that portion seems to be over but our male golden (whom we plan to mate her with at her next cycle) is more interested in her this now and we are struggling to keep them apart from oneanother. How long does a golden retriever's heat last? at which point can the female get pregnant, before/after or throughout the heat? How long are their pregnancies? and when/how old should the female be before we allow them to mate?
We have little to no knowledge of the mating process so any information would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerly,
Jack

Answer
The whole cycle can last over a month from the first swelling of the vulva until everything has settled back down to normal.  The fertile period when she will accept the male starts about a week after the bleeding and continues well into the third week.  By that time she is only discharging a little mucus if anything.  Keep them separated at least until the end of the 3 week or longer.  Do not bathe her or let her swim until all swelling has gone down.  You will just have to endure the odor.  

You have a lot of homework to do.  Do you have OFA hip X-rays of both?  How about eye certifications?  A good place to start to is www.akc.org.  they have an extensive section on responsible breeding.  Even another 6 months may not be long enough for her to prove herself worth selecting as breeding stock.  Are they both outstanding examples of the breed, good temperament and free of the common physical problems of the breed?  

When a female whelps, timely intervention if there are problems can mean the difference in a live or still birth.  It can also save the mother's life.  Read, read, read.  Books and videos are great learning tools.  Nothing takes the place ofd actual experience.  If you know anybody doing breeding, volunteer to help with their next whelping.

Gestation averages 63 days, but dogs can't read calendars, and whelp when they do.