QuestionI think today is her 1st. day of heat. How long does it last? Any concerns I should be aware of? I don't want to breed her till after a couple of heats & then only once since we want to keep a pup as play mate.
AnswerVivian,
The heat cycle lasts for three weeks. The first week starts slow and then progresses to heavy bleeding. The second week they are still bleeding but it turns to a milky pinkish color. The third week they stop bleeding but the pee pee is swollen.
The only concern you should have is making sure she cannot be gotten to by any males. She should be under your constant supervision to make sure that this does not happen especially if you have a yard that she is allowed to run around in. Male dogs can climb fences.
I would breed her the next time she goes into heat so that the puppy and she will be close in age. As long as you wait until they are a year old before you breed them it will not harm them. I say that because if you skip a couple of heats (her next heat will probably not be for 15 months) then she will be at an age where a playful puppy will annoy her. Make sure when you do breed her that she is bred with a male that is smaller than her. The typical ratio would be something like a 2.5 pound male to a 5 pound female. Under no circumstances should you breed her with a male that is the same size as her or larger because this would put her at risk for complications.
