# When does a female Golden first come into heat?



## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

In your experience how soon can/does a female Golden come into her first heat?

I ask because we are trying to 'time' Sophie's spay to be prior to her first heat, yet want to wait as long as we can. Our vet said in his experience (30+years) he can only think of one "large" dog that came into heat earlier than 8-months... and he includes Goldens as large dogs. I just moved Sophie's date back almost a month, which means she will be a week shy of 9-months old... anyone think this is cutting it too close? We really don't want her going into her first heat as that greatly increases her chances of getting breast cancer in the future (.05% vs 8%, which we think is a very big deal). Also I would be on my Christmas break and so have scheduled it for a Monday that way I can monitor her condition all day during 4 consecutive weekdays when *the vet's is open*... it seems too many of our pet emergencies in the past have always happen on a weekend (often late Friday night)... if we should have an infection problem crop-up I want to be able to take her to the vet immediately.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

In my experience, usually over a year of age... I have never had one come in before 10 months, of any breed. Goldens were usually 14 months or more. Salukis close to their 2nd birthday!


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## indysmum (Jun 20, 2007)

Indy had her first heat at 13 months.


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## DanielleH (Nov 4, 2006)

London came into season at 7 months old, and Shy had her first cycle at 17months ... BIG differance between my two girls..


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

DanielleH said:


> London came into season at 7 months old, and Shy had her first cycle at 17months ... BIG differance between my two girls..


Uh oh... do you think time of year could play any part in this huge variation?


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## DanielleH (Nov 4, 2006)

monomer said:


> Uh oh... do you think time of year could play any part in this huge variation?


I'm really not sure on that one... I have been told that Shy might have had a "silent heat" cycle when she was younger... 
Shy came into season in June and then London came into season in July right after Shy.. I think one female in season can set another female in season.. I think that might be why London came into season a little early..I think there both going to be coming into season soon..they're both starting to swell...


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## MySweetPhoebe (Jun 25, 2006)

The 2 females I have had have been spayed at 10 months and 11 months and neither had had their first heat. Hope this helps.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Activity level has a lot to do with it. Females that are exercised heavily will delay their cycle. (Typical of female athletes.)


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## Ardeagold (Feb 26, 2007)

I'd say usually between 8-11 mos. Just like Whippets, Newfs can be later....much later.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

Wow, that may well be why mine are always late then, bc my dogs get extensive exercise.


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## DanielleH (Nov 4, 2006)

Swampcollie said:


> Activity level has a lot to do with it. Females that are exercised heavily will delay their cycle. (Typical of female athletes.)


Thats interesting.. and makes a lot of sense in Shy's case.. Shes a very high engery girl who is always on the go..she requires a lot of excerise.


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

I am with Swampcollie on this one as well. Ours always came in around 12-14 months and had moderate to extreme activity level. Now Brooke came in early in my way of thinking (10 months) but by that time she was indoors with me all the time as we weren't going to the lake and woods becasue of my health and the others always had.


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

I'm used to seeing them come into heat at around eight months. Mine is not a good situation to judge by, because there is a pack of females here, and they tend to pull each other into heat.


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## marshab1 (Aug 28, 2006)

Interesting. I always thought it was sooner. We had Tinkerbell done a 5 1/2 months beause we thought it could happen anytime once they got to be about 6 months old. I think we'll be able to wait a bit longer next time.


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

I know that with human females, body fat has a major effect on the onset of sexual maturity... could it also be true for female bitches? A dog who is exercised a lot will most likely not be carrying around a lot of body fat for obvious reasons. Sophie gets quite a bit of exercise every day and is actually quite muscular (surprisingly so for a puppy) yet weighs over 60-lbs... I'm hoping she will stay my little girl for another month longer... if she goes into heat before then my wife will never stop saying "I told you so".

Also I've heard that studies have shown its not unusual for long-time human female roommates to have synchronized periods... so why not for dogs as well as? We are fortunate that Sophie's the only intact female bitch in the neighborhood.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

Well, the body fat thing makes sense- sighthounds are the latest of all dogs to come in, some are two or even THREE before they do- and I have not know of many that were under a year, except maybe RR and Basenjis (which to me are not true sighthounds, certainly RR are not, not in structure or personality). 

I kept waiting and waiting for one of my long term Luki foster girls to come in and have one heat before spaying. Finally on her 2 year and six month birthday I said forget it and just had her spayed!


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## Ruby'smom (Feb 4, 2008)

Ruby is coming up to 7 months and we are about to start obedience classes, I know that I cant take her if she is in season but apart from the obvious blood spotting is there any thing else I can look out for that would tell me her season is on its way/here 
I dont want to be sent out of obedience classes for not knowing 
how embarassing would that be :doh: :no:


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