When to mate a dog in heat

When to mate a dog in heat

It’s useful to count the days of a dog’s season to help you predict when she’ll be most fertile. Day one should be the first day that you notice signs that she’s in heat (usually swollen genitals and a bloody discharge from her vagina). These signs can be more obvious in some dogs than others. It’s possible that you may miss the early signs, which means that ‘day one’ may not actually be the first day of her season. Day one is usually a good time to let the stud dog owner know that your bitch is in heat. Dogs usually reach their peak fertility between days 10 and 14, although this can vary; some dogs are ready to mate earlier, while others may mate towards the end of their season. When most fertile, most dogs show more interest in males and their vaginal discharge may be watery or may have turned a straw-like colour.

Although these signs can be an indicator that they’re ready to mate, it’s not always the most accurate way of knowing when they’re most fertile. Instead, there are two simple tests that your vet can perform to help you know the best time to mate.

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