Dog blog
How Long Will My Golden Retriever Be In Heat?
For owners of Golden Retriever puppies, I’m sure you can’t help but fawn over how gorgeous your pup is. But as any dog owner knows, unspayed female dogs go into what are called heat cycles twice a year. For first-time furmoms or furdads, I’m sure this period can be both confusing and overwhelming for you. Don’t worry, I’ve been there.
So, I’m here to help you figure out everything you need to know about a Golden Retriever’s heat cycle.
What is a heat cycle?
When people think of a dog “in heat,” they probably think of this period lasting a few days, a week tops. But a dog’s heat cycle (regardless of breed) actually lasts much longer than this.
When a Golden Retriever goes into heat, this means that they are fertile and are ready to be impregnated by a male Golden Retriever.
How long will my Golden Retriever be in heat?
What people typically think of a “in heat” period is the 9 days more or less during the Estrus stage of the entire heat cycle. The entire heat cycle, however, lasts anywhere between 4 to 7 months and is divided into 4 different stages: Proestrus, Estrus, Diestrus, and Anestrus.
How do I know if my Golden Retriever is in heat?
There are several signs to watch for that signal your Golden Retriever is in heat. Not all signs are physical, some are psychological such as behavioral changes.
✓ Swollen vulva
One of the most obvious and telling signs that your Golden Retriever is in heat (formally called the estrous cycle) is a swollen vulva.
During your Golden Retriever’s first heat cycle, expect for its vulva to swell and engorge 2 – 3 days before it experiences any vaginal discharge. Don’t worry, this period is not typically painful for your dog.
Oh, and don’t be surprised if your Golden Retriever starts licking its genitalia around this time. This is completely normal.
✓ Vaginal discharge
A few days after your dog’s vulva starts swelling, it will start releasing discharge or fluid. This will usually happen during the first two stages of the Golden Retriever heat cycle duration and will last around 2 – 3 weeks.
During this time, I find it useful to make my Golden wear doggie diapers to help keep the discharge from dripping onto the floor or furniture.
A dog’s vaginal discharge can be an assortment of colors – from blood red, brown, clear, or yellowish, so don’t be surprised if your Golden’s discharge looks different from another dog’s. This is normal.
You can check your dog’s discharge by wiping her genitals with a tissue to see what color it is. The color will change depending on how far along she is in the proestrus cycle. Blood red discharge often signals “Day 1” of the proestrus cycle.
✓ Mounting
First-time dog owners may have to brace themselves for this one. Dogs in heat will normally start exhibiting “mounting” behavior. Don’t be surprised if your Golden Retriever starts to mount against different objects in your home or even against your leg.
Around this time, your Golden Retriever will also be receptive (i.e., will not show any hostility against) towards male dogs that try to mount her.
✓ Frequent urination
Your dog may start urinating more frequently than normal. This is often associated with vaginal discharge and frequent licking of their genitalia. Expect this to occur for around 1 – 2 weeks during the estrous cycle.
While this is normal during the estrous cycle, there’s nothing wrong with erring on the side of caution. If you notice your dog urinating more frequently than it normally does, you may want to take it for a quick trip to the vet to confirm that it isn’t a symptom of a more serious medical condition.
✓ Clingy or excessive energy
Keep in mind that during the heat cycle, your Golden Retriever may seem clingier than normal or may also be more hyperactive. This can lead to them becoming nervous or displaying symptoms of separation anxiety when left alone during this time.
When do Golden Retrievers go into heat?
There isn’t a fixed timeline for when a Golden Retrievers should go into their first heat cycle. Some Golden Retrievers experience it early at six months old but some experience it later at around 1 ½ to 2 years old. Both instances are completely normal and are dependent on the size of your dog.
Once your dog has experienced their first heat cycle, you can expect it to occur regularly every six months or so. Generally, larger dogs like Golden Retrievers will mature faster and will experience estrous cycles later in their lives as compared to smaller or medium-sized dogs such as Pomeranians or Shih Tzus.
The stages of the estrous cycle
The estrous or heat cycle can be broken down into four different stages.
✓ Proestrus
This is the stage that is typically associated with major behavioral and physical changes in your Golden Retriever. The proestrus stage lasts, on average, around nine days but can be as short as one day or as long as 27 days.
During the proestrus cycle, your Golden Retriever will experience several hormonal changes in order to prepare them for mating such as an increased level of estrogen in their system. It is during the proestrus cycle that you will notice changes like a swollen vulva or vaginal discharge.
Although your Golden Retriever has already entered the heat cycle, she will still not be ready to mate and will display hostility towards male dogs who may attempt to mount her.
It is also completely normal for your Golden Retriever to have her tail between her legs during this time.
The proestrus stage will last anywhere from four to 20 days although the average is between 7 – 10 days.
During the proestrus stage, your Golden Retriever will start releasing pheromones, which is a substance that attracts male dogs. It is their body’s way of signaling the males that it is almost ready for mating, so be prepared for a lot of new suitors for your Golden Retriever.
While you may not smell your dog’s pheromones, you can trust that many male dogs will. A dog in heat can be detected by male dogs from more than a mile away, so be warned!
Although your dog has already begun releasing signals that she is in heat, she will not be interested in mating just yet.
She will typically be more hostile towards dogs who try to mate with her but will be more affectionate towards her owners due to the increased levels of estrogen in her system.
✓ Estrus
The second stage in a dog’s heat cycle is called estrus. The estrus cycle is when a dog further experiences changes in their reproductive system which lasts anywhere between 4 to 24 days (however most dogs experience 9 days).
During the estrus cycle, your Golden Retriever’s will start softening in order to prepare her for mating. If a male dog approaches her and tries to mount her, she may accept it by shifting her tail to the side to provide him with access.
Keep a close eye on your Golden Retriever during this period as they can be very ingenious when it comes to finding out ways to mate.
You may notice random male dogs visiting your home during this time, so its best to keep your dog away from the yard. If a male dog comes into contact with your female and you try to separate them, the dogs may become aggressive.
Refrain from bringing your Golden Retriever to public places that have dogs, such as the dog park, pet store, or even pet-friendly restaurant as this can cause quite a ruckus.
It’s best to keep your Golden Retriever safely at home and in your sight.
✓ Diestrus/Metestrus
After the estrus stage come the diestrus stage. This is also sometimes called the metestrus stage. During this stage, your Golden Retriever will no longer be interested in mating.
This will last for around two months. The diestrus stage is the time your dog’s biological and hormonal levels start returning to normal. You will also notice her vaginal discharge begin to lessen at this point.
✓ Anestrus
The anestrus is the longest stage in your Golden Retriever’s heat cycle and lasts between 3-4 months. You can think of the anestrus stage as the “downtime” between heat cycles.
By this I mean that your Golden Retriever’s biological and hormonal levels return completely to their normal baseline levels.
As the anestrus stage ends, the proestrus stage begins, prompting another heat cycle. Your Golden Retriever will have a total of two heat cycles each year.
What to do when your Golden Retriever is in heat?
There are a couple of precautions you may want to take once you notice your Golden Retriever entering their estrus cycle.
- Buy doggie diapers: Your dog’s vaginal discharge can create quite a mess. To keep your furniture (or clothes) clean, you can make your Golden Retriever wear diapers throughout the proestrus stage.
- Keep her indoors: If you don’t want any unwanted pregnancies from happening, I recommend keeping your Golden Retriever indoors at all times.
- Use a leash: When walking your Golden Retriever, make sure to always have her on a leash. A Golden Retriever that is ready to mate may run off to find a male dog to mate with while on your daily walks.
- Include your details on her tag: If the unthinkable happens and your Golden Retriever runs away to find a mate, you’ll need to make sure that whoever finds her will be able to contact you. Apart from including your name and contact number on her dog tag, it may be a good idea to implant a microchip in your dog.
- Be extra observant: Occasionally, a female dog may experience certain health conditions after their heat cycle. This is because the estrous cycle causes a dog’s uterine lining to thicken and, in some cases, this may not go back to normal for some dogs. When this happens, bacteria are more likely to grow and cause an infection like pyometra, which can be life-threatening. Some signs and symptoms that your dog is suffering from pyometra include drinking more than usual, a fever, vaginal discharge, lack of appetite, or appearing lethargic.
- The morning-after pill: Be very cautious with this one. In the event your female Golden Retriever mates with another dog and you don’t want to risk getting her pregnant, you can give her a “morning-after pill” within 48 hours after the deed. Do note that the pill can be dangerous for your dog’s health and may cause some medical issues, so I recommend exercising all the cautions and talking to your vet about all the risks before trying this.
- Spay your dog: I highly recommend spaying your dog. Unless you are a licensed and experienced breeder, I don’t recommend trying to breed your Golden Retriever yourself. Besides, there are already too many dogs in the pound and rescue shelters that need a loving home. You really don’t need to bring more dogs into the world. Spaying your dog involves removing her ovaries and other reproductive organs to ensure your Golden Retriever doesn’t accidentally get pregnant. If you do spay your dog, you won’t have to go through any of the cycles.
When can I spay my dog?
Never spay your dog during her heat cycle. I recommend waiting a month after the heat cycle so that all of her hormonal and biological levels return to the baseline. This includes the blood vessels, which are more fragile during the heat cycle.
While you may want to spay your dog right away (i.e., before her first heat cycle), but it is best to wait until after the first cycle. This will be around the time your dog is 1 year old.
Apart from preventing unwanted pregnancies, spaying also has other benefits such as lowering the risk of orthopedic issues, reducing the risk of some forms of cancer (especially breast cancer), and reducing the risk of urinary incontinence.
Final thoughts
A golden retriever enters their first heat cycle as early as six months of age until around 1 ½ years old. The heat cycle also called the estrus cycle, occurs every six months after then.
The estrus cycle has 4 different stages under it, from preparing your dog for pregnancy until returning her to her normal, baseline state. The whole heat cycle lasts 4 to 7 months.
If you want to prevent pregnancies in your dog or don’t want to go through the hassle of heat cycles, you can opt to spay your dog.
