miniature schanuzer in heat

Question
at what age does a min. schnauzer come into heat? she is 8 1/2 months old. she seems to be a little swollen. we have a 2 year old male. we would like to have puppies, at what age should that happen?  thank you for you response

Answer
They can come into heat anywhere from 5-11 mos. of age. Most of mine come in around 8 mos. It sounds as though yours is getting close.

A bitch should not be bred before 18 months of age as she needs time to grow up first. Both of the parents-to-be should have thyroid checks done and have their eyes examined by a veterinary ophthalmologist before breeding (and then the puppies should be done at 8 weeks of age).

You will need to keep both of the dogs separated for about four weeks to prevent accidental breeding, and that is going to be hard as both will be trying to get to the other. Once used at stud, there is a good chance that your male will start lifting his leg in the house.

Karen