The Internet is an amazing tool. Yahoo groups have several Vizsla centered discussion groups. Vizsla Talk being the largest and most active in the USA.This morning I opened MY YAHOO GROUPS page and found the below article on "First Season", an explanation of female dog heat cycles in Vizsla Talk. This was written by Ms. Berner, owner of Miravizslas. 
Our female, Chloe, was spayed before her "first season," so we never experienced this. Our male, Bailey, is not neutered. This article gives me a better understanding of what to look for when he goes "nuts." The information on the mating act of females and neutered males was unexpected. My appreciation of responsible breeders has risen even higher.
"Okay, my bitches bleed for about 3 weeks. Right now I have 9 intact
bitches. I have had as many as 13 at once. I cannot even count how many
heat cycles we've managed (with sometimes up to seven bitches in
standing heat at the same time)
My girls come into heat every six months like clockwork (Cass is almost
to the HOUR). Their first heat cycle usually comes at around 11 months,
and it is every six months thereafter.
When the discharge changes from blood to a more opaque color, THAT is
when the bitch is fertile, and needs to be watched the most carefully,
not when you slack off.
Use a dog crate with an easily washed/bleached light-colored blanket
inside so you can monitor the discharge and know where the bitch is
every waking moment. When all discharge and swelling stops, you continue
the monitoring her for another week (so, 4 weeks total). You will want
to change these blankets a couple of times a day to launder them, and
control the odor, so have multiple blankets. (I do not use the panties,
as I frequently forgot to REMOVE them when taking the girl out to potty
until it is too late)
Females who have been bred can "hold" the semen for 5 days to to wait
until the moment of ovulation -- so absolute caution in necessary until
all discharge has stopped and all swelling has gone down. A breeding tie
can last anywhere from 5 minutes to 2 hours and still produce puppies.
So a bitch who is out of sight for even 10 minutes could conceivably
take the opportunity to get bred.
Boarding kennels are NOT a good option. If you are not capable of taking
responsibility for 4 weeks for every waking moment of your dog's life,
then get her spayed BEFORE the heat cycle. Passing the responsibility
off to anyone who is not the dog's breeder is a cop out. Besides, I
think you will find most boarding kennels would refuse to take a bitch
in season in to board because they do not want the responsibility or
liability.
Neutered males are NOT immune from the allure of a bitch in season. You
can still get a breeding tie, but won't get puppies. Injury can come to
both male and female during the tie, so you need to protect your girl
from even neutered males, and especially from inexperienced intact males. "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ms. Michel Berner
Mira Vizslas www.miravizslas.com
Good Dog Health http://www.gooddoghealth.com/
A great book on the Vizsla. A must own for any serious Vizsla owner.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Versatile Vizsla
First Season
"Okay, my bitches bleed for about 3 weeks. Right now I have 9 intact
bitches. I have had as many as 13 at once. I cannot even count how many
heat cycles we've managed (with sometimes up to seven bitches in
standing heat at the same time)
My girls come into heat every six months like clockwork (Cass is almost
to the HOUR). Their first heat cycle usually comes at around 11 months,
and it is every six months thereafter.
When the discharge changes from blood to a more opaque color, THAT is
when the bitch is fertile, and needs to be watched the most carefully,
not when you slack off.
Use a dog crate with an easily washed/bleached light-colored blanket
inside so you can monitor the discharge and know where the bitch is
every waking moment. When all discharge and swelling stops, you continue
the monitoring her for another week (so, 4 weeks total). You will want
to change these blankets a couple of times a day to launder them, and
control the odor, so have multiple blankets. (I do not use the panties,
as I frequently forgot to REMOVE them when taking the girl out to potty
until it is too late)
Females who have been bred can "hold" the semen for 5 days to to wait
until the moment of ovulation -- so absolute caution in necessary until
all discharge has stopped and all swelling has gone down. A breeding tie
can last anywhere from 5 minutes to 2 hours and still produce puppies.
So a bitch who is out of sight for even 10 minutes could conceivably
take the opportunity to get bred.
Boarding kennels are NOT a good option. If you are not capable of taking
responsibility for 4 weeks for every waking moment of your dog's life,
then get her spayed BEFORE the heat cycle. Passing the responsibility
off to anyone who is not the dog's breeder is a cop out. Besides, I
think you will find most boarding kennels would refuse to take a bitch
in season in to board because they do not want the responsibility or
liability.
Neutered males are NOT immune from the allure of a bitch in season. You
can still get a breeding tie, but won't get puppies. Injury can come to
both male and female during the tie, so you need to protect your girl
from even neutered males, and especially from inexperienced intact males. "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ms. Michel Berner
Mira Vizslas www.miravizslas.com
Good Dog Health http://www.gooddoghealth.com/
A great book on the Vizsla. A must own for any serious Vizsla owner.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Versatile Vizsla
12 comments:
Surely "When the discharge changes from blood to a more opaque color" should be "...to a more translucent" colour? (I.E. more see through).
Yup - in fact, the drops get pale pink, and then become CLEAR. In other words, you don't necessarily notice those later drops.
Great summary. Though my experience with Vs is that they start their heats much later...like 18 to 22 months, with frequency 9-12 months.
But if one has an entire pack, you get a hormone cluster (just like human women!), and so the rhythms for all members of the pack are affected.
Not many people have been around these natural cycles any more.
My female is in her first cycle, and she is 10 months old! We had been told that Vizslas generally will not go into heat for 18 months.
Our vizsla is almost 11 years old and still goes into Heat. Is this normal?
Mine was 23 months for her first cycle then 9 months later on 3rd cycle and now just 7 months for #3... She knows how to keep a guy guessing. She is my only dog though
Thank you for this. My Vizsla is just under 14 months and entered her first heat two days ago - mostly spotting. I’ve noticed she’s a lot less energetic that usual. Is there something I should look out for in terms of behavior! Also. She’s tolerating the underwear indoors when she’s not in her crate.
My Vizsla is 7 months old and started her first heat 2 weeks ago. She is a lot more “wound” up! More aggressive/assertive. Assuming that is normal too!
Our dog first cycle started two weeks ago, at the age of 9 and a half months.
We drive out in the morning for a walk somewhere without dogs and up until now the neighbourhood dogs haven't picked up on the scent (we live on 4 acres out of town)
The rest of the day we walk on our own field (we work from home :) ).
She is very subdued
My Vizsla went into heat at 8 months for the first time. Also more wound up and into mischief.
My Vizsla went into heat at 12 months and she has been bleeding quite a lot for almost 2 weeks. Her tummy has been a bit runny, although she eats and drinks like normal and her energy levels are the same as before. Is that normal?
My Vizsla went into heat at 12 months and she has been bleeding quite a lot for almost 2 weeks. Her tummy has been a bit runny, although she eats and drinks like normal and her energy levels are the same as before. Is that normal?
My 13.5 year old had regular heat cycles all the way to the end, so yes it is normal.
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