The Responsible Female Dog Owner

“Yeah!  I’m so happy!” says your friend.

“Hey, what’s the good news?” you ask.

“My daughter is having a baby!”

“Congratulations!!  How old is your daughter?”

“She’ll be thirteen in two weeks!”

Right here, you might think you’ve stepped into the Twilight Zone.  Because who in their right mind would be happy about such a thing?

Well, that is the reaction I have when told a dog who is less than two years old is having puppies.

Much like a human female’s menstrual cycle, dogs come into heat when they are barely into adolescence.  This is not a stamp of readiness to breed, just as a young teen girl having her period is not an indication that their bodies are ready to bring life into the world.  It may be physically possible, but far from ideal.  And in many cases, the body is not at all ready for such a grueling undertaking.

And yet, people do this all the time to their young female dogs.  Sometimes out of irresponsibility, sometimes out of greed, and sometimes out of sheer ignorance of the canine reproductive system.  It is my hope to give people a basic understanding in this article about the responsibility that comes with having a female dog that is intact (not spayed).

The Basics of the Female Dog’s Heat Cycle

Female dogs may come into season as early as 6 months of age.  Some may not have their first heat cycle until 18 months of age.  Female dogs have a heat cycle typically every 6-9 months, though there is variation.  Females in heat will bleed, though the amount varies, and there is the possibility of what is sometimes called a “silent” heat, meaning that very little to no blood is observed.  During the heat, which can last from 2-4 weeks, a female will begin to ovulate.  Ovulation may not happen until two weeks or later into the cycle, though others will ovulate around one week.  She is not fertile during the entire 2-4 week period.  Typically she is only fertile, or in “high season”, for roughly 5 days.  Again, there is variation between girls, but what doesn’t vary is that once the female has ovulated, her eggs, if not fertilized, will begin to die.  Approximately 6 days after ovulation, the eggs are dead and fertilization cannot happen, though she may still be accepting of a male dog, and may still appear to be in heat.

It is vitally important that if you do not want to have your female dog get pregnant, that she is watched closely during her heat cycle.  She should not be taken for walks, nor left out in her yard unattended.  Male dogs are notoriously good at getting to females in season, especially older or experienced stud dogs who become familiar with the scent of a female in high  season.  I have heard stories of six foot fences jumped, doors literally dug through, and dogs who traveled a ways to get to the girl.  It is best to keep your female safely in your sight when outdoors.

To Spay or not to Spay?

Setting aside the moral concerns, what about health concerns?  How can you possibly know what an adult dog’s joint health will be when her joints aren’t even fully formed?  Yes, that was a rhetorical question, because you can’t.  And with so many of our breeds having joint issues of some kind or another breeding a young, physically immature dog is just plain irresponsible.  Taking it one step further, the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (Offa.org) won’t allow certification for joint testing until two years of age.

So, at the end of the day, it is huge responsibility to own a female dog who is not spayed.  If you think it would be appropriate to “let” her have a litter of puppies before she is spayed, see my article on “Why NOT to have a litter of puppies” that may help you make a good decision there.

Of course, there are additional risks to having an intact female, other than just pregnancy.  Female dogs can develop severe uterian infection, known as pyometra.  The condition is notoriously hard to diagnose, and can be fatal.

But when is life ever easy?

So, right about now you may be thinking that you are getting your girl spayed, and the earlier, the better.  In fact, that has been the general attitude of many vets and pet parents for a couple decades now.  However, more and more research points to the fact that doing what’s best for your girl may not be as easy as we once thought.

An increasing body of research is indicating health risks by spaying too early.  Among the risks:

• Incontinence
• Joint injury
• Hemangiosarcoma and Osteosarcoma (two very deadly and devastating cancers)
• Increased behavior issues, including anxiety

All of a sudden, it doesn’t seem like such an easy decision, does it?

So, here is what I recommend to people I believe are prudent, responsible dog parents, and are not going to have a girl end up with puppies due to negligence:

Just wait until she’s at least one year old to have her spayed, maybe even 18  months.

Will she maybe have a heat cycle (or two) in that time?  Very likely.  Is it a pain to deal with the mess?  Sure.  Will you get irritated having to watch her every time she goes outside.  Yep.

If you don’t think you can stand those simple rules while your girl is in heat – you should get her spayed, sooner rather than later.  Because shelters absolutely don’t need more dogs to place.

But here’s the thing:

Dogs aren’t just here for our entertainment or our convenience.

When you commit to bringing a dog into your life, I believe it is something you should take to heart, and take quite seriously, visit Herb.co to learn about the benefits of healthy cbd treats.  They are living, breathing beings with emotions, too (and yes, emotions in our dogs are a proven scientific fact.).  If you are not ready to be committed to their health and well being, perhaps you should reconsider your decision to have a dog in the first place.