Can you condition a female to come into heat?

[GGs]

I've been reading online a lot recently, trying to determine if it's possible to NATURALLY bring a female into heat. I have 2 females that I'm more than ready to get litters out of. Female #1 is about a month late, female #2 about 3 months late. From what I've gathered, stress, extreme exercise, and poor body condition can delay a heat. These two (along with the rest of my dogs) get ran everyday, for 30-60 minutes. They are currently eating Purina Puppy Chow 27% protein/12% fat. Female #2 is in perfect condition. Female #1 is a little too thin for my liking. You can see her ribs a little, which in my book isn't always a bad thing. I wouldn't have a problem with it unless it was wintertime or if she wasn't going to be bred soon. I've only recently had her about a month, so I figured the stress of a new home could be part of the reason why she is late. This dog is a finicky eater, a major pet peeve of mine. I typicallys follow the "eat what I feed you when I feed you or go hungry" rule. However, I'm hesitant to do this to this female, b/c she really NEEDS to eat. I hate to have to cater to her finicky self, but I'm seriously considering adding some canned food to her food to get her to eat more. I'm afraid that will only work for a day or two before she snubs her nose at that as well. My other idea was to put her on a higher protein/fat food (like Purina Pro Plan Performance 30%/20%), so what it would be more concentrated food, thus she'd need to eat less (which is good for her since she eats so little).

What would YOU do about the feeding issue and should I decrease the exercise as well?

Also, I've been looking at a product from Thomas Labs called Breed Heat. It's a natural supplement used to help bring dogs into heat. Has anyone ever used this? Since my dogs are usually a bit late coming into heat, if fed as recommended 2-4 weeks before a scheduled heat, and if it DOES work, then my dogs would actually come into heat on time. Anyone used this or a similar product?

Tia!

[ezzy333]

I do not think you can bring a dog into heat though some of the things you mentioned may delay them a bit.

I have no idea what kind of dogs you are raising or how old they are but am wondering why a female would be on puppy chow. Just doesn't compute or am I missing something. If the female is at least two years old and of the quality that will produce puppies that will improve your breed then I would get her on a good quality adult feed and possibly add a couple of tablespoons of a vegetable oil which should help her condition. If she is really a poor eater that you can't keep in good condition then I would question breeding her if there is not some other reason she is doing poorly.

I too do not believe in having to supplement a dogs feed if you are using a good quality feed. Dogs are creatures of habit and once you start doing that they will expect it and not eat for a while if you quit. I personally don't think we are doing our future dogs a favor by breeding dogs with allergies, conditioning problems, and other health problems any more than I feel it is wrong to breed them with physical, performance, or attitude problems. We see too many people who want to breed their dogs even if they have problems without realizing many of them will show up in the pups they raise. I agee with you that dogs that are not easy keepers or need a lot of special feed or care are not the dogs we want reproducing and continueing these problems for generations to come.

I would get the dogs on a good adult food and then just wait as they will come into heat when they have eggs ready to be fertilized. Plus that will give you time to access the female you are having trouble with and either get her in to condition or figure out if she does have a genetic problem of some sort and shouldn't be bred anyway.


Ezzy

[snips]

Bring her here, she will come in heat:)

[GGs]

It's funny that you say that, as it seems any female that I have here just doesn't want to come in heat! For example, littermates of some of my females came into heat as early as 6 months, while mine are usually at or later than a year of age for this first heat. There has to be some reasoning behind this.

My females are on puppy chow for the additional calories needed to sustain weight. I feed less of the higher calorie food, thus saving money (except for this finicky eater).

[ezzy333]

I think you will find that most of the premium type feeds are almost the same as the puppy foods with a few less vitamins and minerals and are cheaper. Calories are quite often higher because of the higher levels of fat. Most puppy food have the calories restricted as we now know fast growth can lead to some problems.

Ezzy

[stetson82]

There are numerous hormone drugs for cattle swine aand horses that are perfectly safe to bring animals into heat. I dont know of any for dogs but there could be.

[CherrystoneWeims]

Bring her here, she will come in heat:)

LOL Yeah Brenda has a bunch of bitches at her place in heat!! Many times being with another bitch who is in heat will "bring" a bitch into heat.

I would get those dogs on a good quality adult food........

[BigShooter]

Female #1 is about a month late, female #2 about 3 months late. From what I've gathered, stress, extreme exercise, and poor body condition can delay a heat. Tia!

Even without stress, extreme exercise or poor body condition many females are not regular & do not have cycles exactly every six months with some being in season only once during a year. I'm guessing you haven't really determined they are late but instead are determined to see to it they are regularly meeting your schedule. Of coourse "usually a bit late coming into heat" is actually "right on time" for that particular bitch. I haven't tried Breed Heat but know there is also at least one product recommended by a reproductive vet I know that is reputed to increase sperm count for a high percentage of studs. This may be important for some issues exacerbated by artificial insemination, age or injury.

[GGs]

There are numerous hormone drugs for cattle swine aand horses that are perfectly safe to bring animals into heat. I dont know of any for dogs but there could be.

Yes, there is such drugs for dogs too. Too many bad side effects. This is why I was looking into a "natural" supplement. I prefer herbs and such over traditional medicines when at all possible anyway.

[GGs]

Female #1 is about a month late, female #2 about 3 months late. From what I've gathered, stress, extreme exercise, and poor body condition can delay a heat. Tia!

Even without stress, extreme exercise or poor body condition many females are not regular & do not have cycles exactly every six months with some being in season only once during a year. I'm guessing you haven't really determined they are late but instead are determined to see to it they are regularly meeting your schedule. Of coourse "usually a bit late coming into heat" is actually "right on time" for that particular bitch. I haven't tried Breed Heat but know there is also at least one product recommended by a reproductive vet I know that is reputed to increase sperm count for a high percentage of studs. This may be important for some issues exacerbated by artificial insemination, age or injury.

I determine if they are "late" by going by the last time between heats. Yes, I was hoping that by using a supplement that actually worked, they would come into heat at a more predictable time (much easier to schedule other things around a heat when you know when it comes). Do you know what the product is that was recommended by that vet? One of my males is a "shy" breeder. So I've wondered about trying some things on him as well.

[mountaindogs]

Being around other females is heat does seem to shift them. I had a female that seemed to skip a cycle or was very late, and when her kennel neighbor came in to heat she was in heat a week later. They both run looooonngg cycles. AT any rate other than that, feed a high quality food that is not puppy, deworm for everything and make sure there are NO fleas or ticks at all, and then a few days after the dewormer start probiotics. I give my guys a yogurt called "YOBaby" as is has six different live active cultures not just acidophilus. I give it every other day for a week then maybe once monthly. Also plenty of excersize. You may be inclined to NOT want to burn calories, but stronger healthier muscles will improve overall health. Also it's a "stress" reducer for them to get out and play. ALso fresh clean water and lots of it! If you can get them to drink more than usual it seems to help. In between feedings, give fresh water with a little low sodium broth in it. Then stick to it and wait. If a really all around healthy life doesn't help, then I'd strongly think twice about whether the dog should be bred at all.

[BigShooter]

GGs,

I sent you a PM (private message) with the information. As I said I have no financial interest in the product nor the company that sells it. Apparently the increase in sperm is a secondary benefit of this canine supplement.

A reproductive vet specialist recommended it to me to consider for future use with an eight year old stud that also had his testicles injured in a fight over a bitch a year ago. At the time, I was considering asking the stud's owner for frozen semen for future breedings if the current litter ended up being what I was looking for. With freezing one needs sufficient post thaw quality sperm for implantation to be successful.

[BigShooter]

If a really all around healthy life doesn't help, then I'd strongly think twice about whether the dog should be bred at all.

We rarely disagree. However, I'd like some clarification supported by facts to indicate what percentage of bitches cycle at exactly six months each & every time & comversely how many flawed litters are produced annually by bitches that do not cycle exactly on time? I am tempted to think that was a bit of an overstatement. Maybe some of the big time breeders will chime in with their own experience.

[mountaindogs]

I was reffering to the thin and disinterested in eating much. My girls cycle 7.5 months almost on the dot. Still being unhealthy can slow it and being healthy can fix any slowing caused by lack of health. That does not mean a long cycle is unhealthy as my own girls cycle long. But if it is long be sure all is as healthy as can be and if you do all that it takes to offer the healthiest life possible and still don't see a cycle at all, then I am not one for a lot of drugs and such to bring them around. Wait until nature is ready.

[GGs]

I decided to do what I always do to "picky" eaters, instead of catering to her just to "try" to get her to come into heat quicker. It's working, b/c last night and this morning she ate ALL of her food.

I'm currently shopping around for another brand of food.

Find it interesting that so many think she should be on an adult food.

[CherrystoneWeims]

I decided to do what I always do to "picky" eaters, instead of catering to her just to "try" to get her to come into heat quicker. It's working, b/c last night and this morning she ate ALL of her food.

I'm currently shopping around for another brand of food.

Find it interesting that so many think she should be on an adult food.

Compare Eukanuba large breed puppy food to Eukanuba Premium Performance. The Premium Performance has more protein and fat than the puppy! Thus it will put weight on faster. I've done comparisons because so many times we get rescue dogs into foster that are in very poor condition.

[3Britts]

I will agree with so many others that these dogs need to be on adult food. Our litters are on puppy food, if at all, for about two weeks and then switched to adult. I currently feed the puppies Kirkland chicken and rice from CostCo and my adults are on Kirkland Lamb and rice. It works as well as any I've seen.
I did want to ask the age of the females that you intend to breed? They may be trying to sinc their cycles an so be delaying heat for that reason.

I decided to do what I always do to "picky" eaters, instead of catering to her just to "try" to get her to come into heat quicker. It's working, b/c last night and this morning she ate ALL of her food.

I'm currently shopping around for another brand of food.

Find it interesting that so many think she should be on an adult food.

[mountaindogs]

They may be trying to sinc their cycles an so be delaying heat for that reason.

That could be, I've seen that.

[centexhunt]

There are numerous hormone drugs for cattle swine aand horses that are perfectly safe to bring animals into heat. I dont know of any for dogs but there could be.

Yes, there is such drugs for dogs too. Too many bad side effects. This is why I was looking into a "natural" supplement. I prefer herbs and such over traditional medicines when at all possible anyway.

Lutalayse- and its not a drug, its a hormone. about 3-4cc will bring your dog into heat within 48-72 hours unless she is not healthy enough to breed, is barren, or is within 10 days of coming into heat on her own. I have been using it for 15 years on cattle, goats, pigs, horses, dogs etc and never seen an unwanted side effect. Of last check it is about $17 a for a bottle at any vet, and one bottle will last a long time. But all of this is null if your female isnt capable for some reason. You will know for sure if she is a breeder if you give her a shot.

[northUpland]

Could the delays/lapses also come from not only the poor/improper diet, but also situational stress on the female(s)? Like a dobie and poodle(looks like) in the daily mix with goldens(should I assume?) Or maybe environment stress on the females in question due to adverse kennel conditions etc. Like Ezzy said, what dogs? What's up? I am by no means an expert in this sort of thing but the picture makes me wonder(and yes, I do know a fare bit about breeding and not the backyard sort either). I am really curious to hear theories from those GDF's who know more about breeding. Somebody who is a "hurry" to breed "naturally" with so many concerns about accelerating a heat cycle is weird for me! Great responses so far. Thanks. -Mark

[centexhunt]

Stress is a huge factor in getting regular heat cycles. Diet, condition, and heat (temp) factor in as well. Also I agree, why hurry up a heat cycle unless you have a situational breeding that you need to have puppies by a certain date (ie Christmas weaning so wifes can suprise their husband with a new gundog pup. If there was such a wife) We always used it for AI purposes, it alot eaiser to not waste semen if you can narrow it down to a few days.

[snips]

You just need a good full moon...

[Greg Jennings]

You just need a good full moon...

...champagne, roses, some Barry White CDs,...