When does a first heat cycle happen?
I'd like her to get through her first cycle before we spay, but I genuinely have no idea what to expect or when I should be expecting it and we're starting to get a little pressure from our vet to seriously consider spaying now. Any advice from you knowledgeable sheepie owners would be appreciated! |
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Your best bet is to talk to your breeder. It tends to follow a familial trend, so they would be the 1st to check with about when their dogs tend to start. (kind of like some human families - some are 12 yrs, some are 16...)  It really isn't unusual to have them be a year old or more. And I agree that waiting at least a year to spay would be in the best interest of most OES. For signs - it varies, but common is swelling of the vulva prior to the start, bloody spotting and some hormonal behavioral changes - some are irritable, some are more lovey and snuggly. |
| Spot on response, Dawn, though I'd add that their first heat is often very lowkey and can easily take you by surprise. Too, the OES girls I know don't leave a lot of tell tale signs as they are so busy cleaning themselves. So look for sudden and unusual licking in that area. If you start noticing that she's licking herself take a tissue or a little toilet paper and swipe it over her female parts to check for discharge. It can vary in color depending on where they are in their season. My first clue is always the sudden obsession with their nether region    Kristine |
| Hi Erin......my guys have never had their first heat before they are a year old. It ranges from 12-14 months for my bloodlines. As your breeder, please, please do not have her spayed before she is a year! Tell him/her to take a hike....lol (Just kidding) |
We did get Mady spayed much earlier  And we feel bad about it, next time we'll wait. And experiencing a heat for the first time with Virginia (Mady's mum, Harriet's too I think!), it's not really a big deal or as scary as it's made out to be.We were pretty good with the "listen to Amber" mantra, but we know for any future Amber dogs, we'll be very strict with "listen to Amber". |
| Yeah, I really regret that decision, but I know what you mean about pressure from the vet. I love our vet, I really do, but boy did she scare us about waiting. I wish we had waited. We will know better for the next puppy, right David? Oh, and as a side note, we are very strongly considering a road trip to Newfoundland next spring/summer/fall, haven't sorted out which. I will be hoping for sheepie playdate! |
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