Heat cycles following whelping

Question
My 2 1/2 yr. old Yorkshire Terrier normally comes into heat every 8 mos.  She was in heat in April 2007, bred at that time and delivered 3 pups on June 21st.  How will this affect her heat cycles?  Will she come in heat 8 mos. from last cycle or will she come in heat again 8 mos. following the birth of her pups?

Answer
It honestly just depends on the dog. She may go straight back to normal, come in season a little early, or may even a tad bit late. I know this isn't the answer you were hoping for, but it's not something that you can give a straight answer to. Dogs don't go by the books, and they may deviate from what their normal is. It's hard to pinpoint something like this when you're dealing with live beings. You may want to talk to her breeder and ask how her mom did.