If you have a female German Shepherd that hasn’t been spayed, at some point, you’re going to have to deal with her reproductive cycle. Yet, it isn’t always obvious when the cycle starts or what behaviors she’ll start exhibiting. How can you tell when your German Shepherd goes into heat?
When a German Shepherd goes into heat, her reproductive cycle begins preparing her body for a possible pregnancy. If your German Shepherd shows signs of a swollen vulva or excessive discharge, or if male dogs begin reacting differently to your dog, she may have entered her heat cycle.
Read on to learn more about how your German Shepherd will behave during her heat cycle and how you should alter your care for her during this time.
Common Signs Of A German Shepherd Going Into Heat
You might expect it to be obvious when your German Shepherd enters her heat cycle, but in fact, the process begins a few days before human beings can tell. Still, there are four signs that she will soon be entering her heat cycle, and you should start preparing.
- Male dogs are more interested in her. You might notice that male dogs are much more aggressive and interested in her than usual when you’re walking your female German Shepherd. If you notice that male dogs take an unusual interest in your dog, then she may soon be going into heat.
- She has a swollen vulva. Take a look at your dogs’ hindquarters and note whether or not her vulva is more swollen than usual. This might not be obvious if you’ve never had an unswayed German Shepherd before, but you’ll soon come to recognize when your dog’s vulva looks bigger.
- She is licking herself more frequently than usual. Like all dogs, German Shepherds will often lick themselves to stay clean. When a dog is in heat, this process becomes much more involved, so your dog will probably be cleaning itself much more frequently.
- She has an excessive vaginal discharge. Most people assume that your dogs’ vaginal discharge will be the first sign of her heat cycle, but it can be tricky to spot this since German Shepherds clean themselves efficiently. You may have to wipe her vulva with a paper towel to see if there’s any red or brown discharge.
How Often Is A German Shepherd’s Heat Cycle?
In most cases, German Shepherds will only have a heat cycle twice a year. This could vary, depending on how large your German Shepherd is. Generally, the reproductive cycle will not begin until they are at least one year old.
German Shepherd heat cycles last about 21 days to one month, though this also depends on the individual dog. However, conception usually can’t occur until she has been in heat for at least seven days.
According to some breeders, if you want to breed your German Shepherd, you should wait for at least three heat cycles before trying.
No two dogs are the same, so the only way to get an idea of how long your dogs’ cycle lasts is to keep track of the timing yourself.
4 Stages of A German Shepherd’s Heat Cycle
A German Shepherd will go through four distinct stages during its heat cycle. Here is what you can expect during each stage of the cycle:
1. Prostreus
During her first stage of heat, your German Shepherd will begin to show signs of swelling in her vulva and begin to release red vaginal discharge. She might begin to urinate more. Male dogs will probably be much more interested in her around this time.
The proestrus stage will last around nine days. During this time, you should start to keep your female dog away from male dogs.
2. Estrus
The estrus stage is when your German Shepherd is ready to be bred. When the dog’s vaginal discharge changes from a red color to a yellowish color, the male can impregnate a female.
Estrus can vary anywhere from four to 21 days, so if you want to breed your German Shepherd, you should breed her as soon as she enters this stage.
3. Metestrus
In German Shepherds, a fertilized egg may take nearly a week to attach to their uterine lining. During this time, their uterus will prepare itself for a possible pregnancy.
Note that false pregnancies sometimes occur during the metestrus stage. Wait at least seven days to ensure that your dog is pregnant.
4. Anestrus
This stage will only occur if your German Shepherd does not become pregnant. The anestrus stage takes place in between the other stages of the heat cycle.
If your pregnancy is not successful, your dog will have another heat cycle in five to six months.
Tips On Caring For Your German Shepherd When She’s In Heat
There are a few things you can do to make sure that your German Shepherd is comfortable and safe during her heat cycle:
- Invest in a dog diaper. Dog diapers don’t keep your dog from “making a mess” during their heat cycle. Instead, they keep male dogs from impregnating her before she’s ready.
- Keep her away from other dogs. Even if you have a dog diaper, you’ll want to keep your dog away from other dogs, even female dogs, if possible. Your German Shepherd may become excitable or aggressive during this time.
- Keep her from stress or major physical activity. It can be uncomfortable for your dog to get too physically stressed out when her vulva is swollen.
- Don’t let her breed during the proestrus stage. Your dog probably won’t let other dogs get too close to her during this time, but don’t let a male dog try to impregnate her during this time. Pregnancy won’t take until she enters the estrus stage.
Final Thoughts
You’ll be able to tell that your German Shepherd has gone into heat when her vulva begins to swell, she begins giving off vaginal discharge, and male dogs begin showing more interest in her. Her body is getting ready for a possible pregnancy, and her behavior may change as well.
Keep in mind that your German Shepherd should be spayed if you don’t want her to breed. Caring for a German Shepherd in heat requires a little bit of extra care on the owner’s part, and the situation will make your dog unnecessarily uncomfortable.