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General Board for Big Dogs with Big Paws / What age did your English Mastiff first go into heat? Advice?
« on: February 28, 2009, 07:20:30 am »
I have a few questions for you guys with female English Mastiffs. First, when did they go into heat for the first time?
Second, what input do you have on what to do for this situation? Our "baby" is coming up on year in mid March. Our vet and several other people have suggested letting her go through two cycles or so before spaying so that she fully develops first (that was said with the understanding everything would be handled responsibly). Although she's almost a year old, she still seems pretty puppyish to me at 100 lbs (her mom was 170 and her dad was 250 . . . both very healthy muscular dogs). I care more about her health than size, but that seems like an indicator to me that she still seems to have a ways to go before fully developing (I hear they're technically puppies for the first two years?) Anyway, I am a little worried because my husband and I are moving this summer, but first we will be in temporary housing for 8 weeks in another state, where we won't have a yard, let alone a fenced area. Right now our place is pretty small and she's so much of a lap dog that our walks to a local park seem to be about all she needs exercise-wise anyway. I'm not worried about her being in a small space because I know we'll get out a lot. However, I'm starting to worry that she'll go into her first heat while we're there and I won't be able to handle it! I don't know much about this, as she's my first female dog. How hard is it to handle the first heat, and what did you do? I just can't imagine her with doggie diapers and a giant cone around her head . . . but that sounds like a lot of blood and the place we're staying will have cream carpet. Since she hasn't gone through her first heat yet, I'm wondering if it's due any time now. Is there any way to tell? What do you suggest we do to prepare? Is it smartest just to have her spayed before the move? I've heard arguments on both sides of the spay-neuter argument, and really I just want what's best for her health. Or should we wait and just cross our fingers it won't happen during those 8 weeks? Has anyone dealt with an English Mastiff in heat in a small place?
Thanks in advance!
Second, what input do you have on what to do for this situation? Our "baby" is coming up on year in mid March. Our vet and several other people have suggested letting her go through two cycles or so before spaying so that she fully develops first (that was said with the understanding everything would be handled responsibly). Although she's almost a year old, she still seems pretty puppyish to me at 100 lbs (her mom was 170 and her dad was 250 . . . both very healthy muscular dogs). I care more about her health than size, but that seems like an indicator to me that she still seems to have a ways to go before fully developing (I hear they're technically puppies for the first two years?) Anyway, I am a little worried because my husband and I are moving this summer, but first we will be in temporary housing for 8 weeks in another state, where we won't have a yard, let alone a fenced area. Right now our place is pretty small and she's so much of a lap dog that our walks to a local park seem to be about all she needs exercise-wise anyway. I'm not worried about her being in a small space because I know we'll get out a lot. However, I'm starting to worry that she'll go into her first heat while we're there and I won't be able to handle it! I don't know much about this, as she's my first female dog. How hard is it to handle the first heat, and what did you do? I just can't imagine her with doggie diapers and a giant cone around her head . . . but that sounds like a lot of blood and the place we're staying will have cream carpet. Since she hasn't gone through her first heat yet, I'm wondering if it's due any time now. Is there any way to tell? What do you suggest we do to prepare? Is it smartest just to have her spayed before the move? I've heard arguments on both sides of the spay-neuter argument, and really I just want what's best for her health. Or should we wait and just cross our fingers it won't happen during those 8 weeks? Has anyone dealt with an English Mastiff in heat in a small place?
Thanks in advance!