One problem female German Shepherd owners face is how to prevent unwanted puppies. If they have a male and a female that isn’t spayed, they should be careful or be happy to deal with a jolt when puppies are found tucked up next to a proud new mother.
German Shepherds have to go into heat twice a year; however, some shepherds can enter a heat cycle more often. Some even go into heat season once every 4 to 6 months. German Shepherds can differ in their personality changes. Length of heat, messiness, and amount of discharge.
Learn to observe your Shepherd and get to know their specific signs of a heat cycle. If you want to produce a brood of puppies, it is always advisable to wait until they are in at least their third part of a heat cycle before you consider breeding them. Before breeding, consult a vet get them to check her, and be sure to know she has all her shots. Carefully choose a partner and focus on developing the bloodline of your Shepherd.
The Four Parts of the German Shepherd’s Heat Cycle
It is necessary to recognize when your shepherd goes into heat and when he is in heat. Some signs are evident and there are subtle clues. Take care of your own wife and understand her behavior. This will help to understand what happens when she goes into heat.
The Proestrus stage for Shepherds
This phase of the female Shepherds’ heat cycle usually lasts 4 to 20 days. The average being 7 to 10 days. During this stage there are four common signs for your Shepherd being in heat:
A swollen vulva:
One of the easiest ways to identify the start of a German Shepherd’s cycle. Their vulva will grow to 3-4 times its natural size. You see that this swelling is a considerable difference from the typical appearance of the vulva. Its nipples may also swell somewhat, but this proves to be tough to spot.
Discharge:
A German Shepherd may put in a lot of her day licking and cleaning themselves. German shepherds are great at keeping clean. If uncertain about the discharge, draw a tissue and clean its vulva.
If you see a red discharge and a swell in her vulva, this is a reliable indicator that she’s obviously going into heat. This is necessary to verify, as timing is important for pregnancies. The first day you might notice a more bloody discharge. Mark it in your calendar as DAY ONE and sure you remember it.
More suitors:
A Shepherd in heat presents pheromones. This material that attracts males. This is the third sign your Shepherd is in heat, this sign is not coming from your dog but from others, Your neighbor dogs may want to visit your home. Because of its extraordinary sense of smell, any male can sniff out your Shepherd’s heat cycle from miles away.
Changes of behavior:
At this time, the shepherdess will show little or no interest in mating. They can get more clingy to their owners and be a lot more impulsive. If a male tries to breed with her, she may exhibit anger and growl.
The Estrus Stage for Shepherds
The estrus part of the heat cycle normally lasts from 5 to 14 days. At this time, your German Shepherd will be fertile (their actual heat).
During this phase, the discharge can change from a red to a paler yellow. For most shepherds, it’s even a little pink, but owners should notice a change in color at the start of the Proestro stage. The difference usually occurs after days 8-9.
A female will likewise be ready to mate at this stage. They will move their tails to the side, warning they are bracing for action. She might make whimpers and try to get free more. Your shepherd is following their natural breeding instinct, making it more urgent to watch her closely.
Shepherds can be difficult during this phase end up pregnant even while in a kennel I have known male dogs to get a bitch pregnant through chain-link fence, holes.
Be careful, you could end up spending money on DNA test kits to establish the validity of your purebred puppies. You can use a pregnancy calendar to help determine dogs’ due date.
German Shepherds can be very creative at this stage. If you notice any males around in your garden, keep your female away from them. Bring your dog in and wait for the male dogs to leave. When males are eager to breed, they are much more prone to biting. Don’t bring your dog to the park or pet store as you can unwittingly cause problems you don’t want to. It is best to just keep them at home.
The Diestrus Stage for Shepherds
The Diestrus Stages of a German Shepherd’s heat cycle begins around the 24th day. This phase can last 60 to 90 days. Your dog will no longer fertile at this time. Their discharge changes from straw color to a reddish and then will stop completely. However, she will have a scent that will attract undesirable attention, so watch until she will finally stop bleeding before taking her to public places.
The Anestrus Stage for Shepherds
The Anestrus stage or last part in a Shepherd’s heat cycle. This is when a German Shepherd’s body finally returns to ordinary. This last phase can take anything from 60 to 90 days. When it finishes, the entire cycle just starts again.
In Summation: When does a German Shepherd go into heat?
Remember to observe your Shepherd. Figure out what her heat signs are and her behaviors mean. Identifying where she is at all hours during their fertile times will support you preventing an unwanted dad from mating with her.
Make sure your vet checks it out and make sure that you will go through all the activity necessary to raise Shepherd puppies carefully BEFORE you ever breed them. When you have a male and are you not interested in employing him as a stud consider having him neutered.
Some of My Favorite Products For Dog Owners
I hope this article has helped you just a bit in everyday life as a dog owner. Being a dog owner for more than 25 years myself, I’ve tried an abundance of different products with varying success, but these products below are some that I can highly recommend to every dog and their owner without hesitation!
These links are affiliate links, so if you do end up using the links, I will earn a commission. But it’s products that I use daily myself, and I have nothing but praise for.
Dog Food: Every dog needs to eat correctly, and finding the best food for your dog can be hard, as the market is absolutely flooded with products. But since 2015 when the company was founded, I’ve been using Ollie Petfood. With their product being tailor-made to suit every dog’s specific needs, and as my dogs absolutely love the product, I’m pretty sure I’ve found a product I will continue to use for many years more. If you use my link you can get 50% off your first order.
Dog Training: If you’ve ever owned a puppy, you know that they require a lot of training to grow into a well-behaved adult. Brain Training for Dogs has helped me immensely with the mental training part of raising a dog, and it’s something I strongly recommend you consider.
Grooming: If you have a dog in your home, you’re going to need a brush, and for this, I recommend a Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush. For that price, you simply can’t beat this brush for everyday grooming.
If you’re looking for the most up-to-date recommendations, check out my recommended products section that I’ve created to help every dog owner!
