Dachshund’s Heat Cycle
By Jessica Evans on Apr 20, 2023
The heat cycle in Dachshunds or what is termed the estrous cycle is when your dog goes into estrus or heat. As a smaller dog, it is common for dachshunds to go into heat for the first time between 6-12 months. After the first heat cycle, your pup will go into heat every 6 months. If you don’t plan on breeding your dachshund, you should have them spayed before the first heat. Some people allow their pet to go into heat the first time but if you don’t have a good place to keep her under lock and key, I wouldn’t advise it. A small dachshund during the heat cycle can attract male dogs from miles around. If she is like our Suzie, she will climb fences to get with a mate. Some vets will spay a female dachshund at 2 months of age.
The Heat Cycle Stages:
Most people consider the dachshund heat cycle to last 18-21 days or three weeks. An easy-to-remember rule of thumb is 7 days going into heat, 7 days in the heat, and 7 days going out of the heat. Although this is a ballpark figure when it comes to the number of days in the heat cycle. Each bitch is different and each stage may come on time or may not. If you want to prevent your dachshund from breeding you need to keep her away from males during the entire 3 weeks. The first stage of the heat cycle is called Proestrus and lasts from 4-9 days. During this time your dog’s vulva will begin to swell and you can expect to see vaginal bleeding. Around the 5-10th day, your dog’s vulva will swell more, the discharge will slow and the bleeding will turn a lighter color. This stage is known as estrus. It is during this stage that your female will begin to “flag” any male that is nearby. You will notice this when she backs up to her mate and lifts her tail to one side. Estrus lasts from 4-13 days. After this time, the heat cycle continues with the diestrus phase. This is when the bleeding gets dark or redder and the vulva begins to return to normal size. The “heat cycle” is over when the bleeding stops. The basic heat cycle will begin again in 6-8 months.
What To Expect During Your Dog’s Heat Cycle
A dachshund in heat may become anxious or timider. They may be cuddlier. You will notice your male dog is more interested in your female. He may follow her close by and try to mount her. She will ignore him and more than likely move away from him during the proestrus phase. About 5-10 days into the heat cycle your female will become more open to the male and begin to flag him signaling that she is ready to breed. Your dog can become pregnant at any time during the estrus cycle but will normally only mate during the 2nd phase or estrus phase. Dachshunds can mate more than once during the dachshund heat cycle. Some breeders allow their dogs to tie more than once to ensure conception.
When Is Your Dachshund Sexually Mature?
A male dachshund will begin to produce sperm around 6 months. He will not be sexually mature until around 18 months. A good time to begin using your male as a stud is around 15 months. Most breeders wait until their females have completed 2 heat cycles. A female dachshund should not be bred until she reaches maturity. This may be around 1 year old or older depending on the dog’s temperament. Although the 2nd heat cycle may occur when your pup is around 12 months, the decision to breed her that early should be discussed with your veterinarian.
