Do you own a female Labradoodle? Whether you’re planning to breed your Labradoodle or not, you have to understand how the Labradoodle heat cycle works so you don’t suddenly end up with an unplanned litter of puppies or perhaps several failed attempts of breeding.
So how long do Labradoodles stay in heat? Most heat cycles last 3-4 weeks. And a Labradoodle might not be interested in breeding for the first days of a cycle, they will usually become more receptive in the latter days.
But there is a bit more to heat cycles in a dog than simply just for how long it lasts, and let’s take a closer look at some important knowledge on this subject.
What Does the Phrase ‘Go Into Heat” Mean?
A dog that goes into heat basically just means that she is in the stage where her body is getting ready for a possible conception.
To get a better understanding of this, you should know that a dogs’ heat cycle consists of four different stages – proestrus, estrus, diestrus, and anestrus.
The first three stages are the ones that are referred to as the “active heat” phases. And it’s in these stages that your Labradoodles’ body is getting prepared for the possibility of pregnancy.
Dogs are by nature most fertile 9 to 13 days after the “active heat” phase begins. The fertile period then usually lasts for the following 5 days.
When do Labradoodles Start Going Into Heat?
A female Labradoodles’ body is continually maturing and preparing itself for reproduction as she gets older.
Typically a dogs’ heat cycle starts when the dog is between 6 and 12 months old.
Larger dogs, like Labradoodles, can sometimes experience their first heat when they reach the age of 10 months.
A Labradoodle will on average start going into heat when she is about 9 months old.
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What Happens During Each Stage of The Labradoodle Heat Cycle?
As mentioned earlier, there are 4 different phases to heat in dogs.
Proestrus
During this phase, your Labradoodles body isn’t fertile yet, but her body is getting ready for possible pregnancy and birthing puppies.
In this stage, the pituitary gland secretes the hormones that are responsible for stimulating the growth and development of follicles. These are the fluid-filled sacs that carry immature eggs. The follicles are located in Labradoodles’ ovaries.
Your Labradoodle will typically show physical signs of heat when in this phase. However, she won’t yet be receptive if a male dog will attempt to mate with her.
Your Labradoodles vulva will begin to swell gradually and get a pinkish to reddish discharge. This stage will usually last for 9 to 10 days.
Estrus
Through the stage known as estrus, the level of estrogen in your Labradoodle will decline while the level of progesterone in her goes up.
The beginning of this stage is also where the ovary releases the eggs.
In this stage, your dog will become fertile. This is where she starts to be amenable to male dogs’ attempts at mating with her.
Diestrus
This is the final stage of a Labradoodles “active heat” and this phase will last for 4 to 8 weeks – occasionally even longer than that.
Throughout this stage, progesterone – the hormone that maintains a pregnancy— will remain at high levels.
Your Labradoodle won’t be interested in male dogs’ mating attempts during this phase, and Male dogs will also lose any interest in your female Doodle.
There can still be cases of bloody discharge present during the diestrus stage, but this will gradually stop.
During this stage, the vulva will also return to its normal size.
If your Labradoodle manages to get pregnant during the estrus stage, the diestrus stage will last until she finally gives birth to the puppies, and that will usually take around 60 to 67 days following the conception.
Anestrus
The anestrus stage is the final stage of a dog’s heat cycle.
This stage is the “resting” stage, and in this phase, there is little to no ovarian activity – not until your Labradoodles “active heat” starts over.
This stage will last somewhere between 130 to 150 days.
With there being no ovarian activity, the body of your Labradoodles will return to normal, and your Labradoodles’ reproductive system will also take a timeout and prepare itself for the next possible pregnancy.
What Signs Are There When Your Labradoodle Goes Into Heat?
Your Labradoodles’ body will undergo many different changes due to the hormones during the heat cycles.
Below I’ve listed some of the most typical signs that indicate that your Labradoodle is going into heat.
- Being even more affectionate than usual
- Swollen breasts
- Clinginess
- Enlarged vulva
- Bloody discharge
- Increased thirst
- Increased urination
- Male dogs following her everywhere
- Male dogs fighting over your Labradoodle
- Tail-flagging
How Often Does Labradoodles Go Into Heat?
The heat-cycle frequency of a dog is different from dog to dog.
In some dogs, it can occur at least once in 6 to 7 months, and it’s most common that a dog goes into heat twice a year.
RELATED ARTICLE: BEST AGE TO BREED A LABRADOODLE
When Does Labradoodles Stop Going Into Heat?
As with everything, this will also be different from dog to dog.
Typically a dogs’ ovarian activity will start to decline in her 6th. year of living.
And it is most common that a dog will stop being able to conceive from their 7th year and onward.
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