lab in heat for first time...i think?

Question
hey there, my name is phil. I came across your website here and figured i would tage advantage of your knowledge on Labs. My Yello Labrador Retriever turns 1 year old on the 11th of november (2 days), and hse has yet to come into heat. I was told that anywhere from 9 months to one year is the expected time when a lab should first come into heat. I suspect that she may be coming into heat though, i dont know for sure if these are symptoms, but hear me out. She is acting a little extra "silly" (as hard as that may be to believe, labs are always silly), but she has been acting a little extra silly for the last couple of days. Her genitals smell to the point where i notice it if she lies or sits beside me. and the colour surrounding her genitals seems darker. I am a 19 year old pet owner who needs some help, if you could please try to tell me whether or not you think these symptoms represent what might be a couple weeks of extra joy in my life (heat) that would be greatly appreciated.

Phil (from barrie ontario, Canada)

Answer
Hello, Yes she should be coming into heat, I have not noticed anything different relaly when my lab had come into heat otherthen she was acting a smidge odd and after the heat starts there is a bloody discharge...my dog has sicne been spayed. If you do not wish to breed your dog..(and for large breeds she should be on her third cycle...2+ years) then spay her if you don't want or have time for puppies, It gretly reduces the risks of breast cancer and cancers or tumors of the ovaries.