French Bulldog In Heat: Symptoms and Caring

Unless you have a spayed female French Bulldog, she will experience heat. It can be stressful, especially if this is the first time you’ve had a female dog. If you are wondering about the French Bulldog heat cycle, how long it lasts, its symptoms, and how to take care of a French Bulldog in heat, this article will be the perfect guide for you.

When is French bulldog First Heat?

On average, the first heat begins at around 6 months of French bulldog age. First heat can wary from 4 to 9 months.

Symptoms of a French Bulldog In Heat:

1. Proestrus Stage

This is the first stage of the female dog’s heat cycle, where you will start noticing its behavioral changes. It typically lasts for four to twenty days. Your dog might become grumpier, nervous, or more affectionate. There will also either be an increase or decrease in appetite.

One major sign you could look for if your Frenchie has these symptoms is the swelling of her vulva. You will need to get some Frenchie diapers as there is a possibility of blood discharge. Your dog will also start to protect herself from the male dogs by sitting or tucking her tales. This act is to keep the male dogs from smelling her.

2. Estrus Stage

The fertile stage during your Frenchie’s heat cycle is known as the Estrus stage. It will last for an average of three to twenty-one days, considered as the active heat phase.

The blood discharge that was red on the earlier stage will now appear as bright pink or even yellowish. She will also be more welcoming of male dogs and willing to mate. It is during the estrus stage that your female dog can get pregnant.

3. Diestrus Stage – French Bulldog In Heat

It is the stage after Estrus that lasts for two to three months. If your Bulldog is pregnant, this stage will last for about 63 days exactly.

4. Anestrus Stage

The final stage in a female French bulldogs heat cycle is the anestrus stage, an inactive period that lasts for two to three months before the onset of proestrus again.

Caring for a French Bulldog In Heat:

Understand and taking care of your female French Bulldog’s heat cycle is crucial whether you want her to breed or not. Read on to know how to take care of a French Bulldog in heat.

1. Take Note of your Frenchie’s First Day of Discharge

By taking note of the first day you see your dog’s bloody discharge, you will get some idea about her heat cycle. You will be able to predict and know when to expect the next heat after six months. 

2. Keep Frenchie Clean

As you already know that your female will produce bloody discharge during the first weeks of her heat, keep some wipes ready. The dog is most likely to clean herself. However, the blood smell might still remain on her body. Keep her clean by using unscented wipes. 

You can also put puppy diapers on her to prevent discharges from staining her bed or other areas in your home. 

3. Don’t Leave Your Female Alone Outside

A female French Bulldog will release pheromones when she goes into heat. These pheromones will attract males even from miles away. And it could mean male French bulldogs attempting to get inside your property to mate with the female. This could be a potential risk if you are not ready for a litter of puppies from unwanted pregnancy.

4. Continue the Exercises

Your Frenchie may be in heat, but it doesn’t mean that she should skip her exercises. You can let her continue exercising on the treadmill or take her out for walks to keep her healthy and in shape. Using Frenchies favorite toys to play with inside the house is also a good option. However, if anything involves going out of the house, don’t forget the leash! 

You can put nappies on your Bulldog to prevent males from trying to hump on her or also use safe masking scents on her tail. 

5. Reduce your Female’s Contact with your Other Pets

As mentioned earlier, your Bulldog will undergo behavioral and hormonal changes. It can make her more affectionate and playful or moody. So if you have other pets, minimizing her contact with them would be ideal. Some dogs may show aggressiveness, display dominance, or get pushy, potentially resulting in fights with the other pets. However, these symptoms will go away as her heat ends, so you won’t have to worry about isolating her for a while.

6. Let your Frenchie Have a Separate Room

Keeping one room separate for your Bulldog in her season is ideal if you have males too in the house. It also reduces the number of rooms you have to keep cleaning. However, while keeping her in a room, take care that you are not making her feel alone and isolated. You can use a baby gate instead of shutting the door to fulfill this purpose.

7. Increase the Bathroom Breaks

Your female dog will tend to go for pee or potty more frequently during her heat. It won’t be a problem if you have a designated area for that inside your home. If not, a good option would be to let her stay in a room which you can easily clean. You can also take her to the yard for her bathroom breaks but bear in mind that her scent might invite male dogs, so you shouldn’t let her out alone.

8. Be Really Patient With your French bulldog in Heat

Since your dog undergoes so many changes, she may easily get moody and flustered. You may also notice that she is unusually whiny, restless, and clingy. Besides that, frequent urination and getting under the weather are some more symptoms that may sometimes be hard on you, too, as an owner. But remember that they are temporary and will last only until her season ends.

9. Avoid the Parks and Puppy Day Cares

It is your duty to keep an eye on your female French Bulldog in heat so that you can protect her from unwanted pregnancy. And visiting the park, puppy daycare, or going to an event will only increase the chances of breeding. The scent of a female dog in heat attracts male dogs. If there are several male dogs around, there is a possible chance of them fighting over your dog. And you wouldn’t want that to happen and make a scene, do you! So avoid going out to parks and similar places when your female dog is in heat.

Wrap-up All About French Bulldog in Heat

We advise you to follow these steps to help you Frenchie lady feel safe and comfortable over this period. Happy Frenchie = Happy owner.

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