If you are wondering about the female American Bully heat cycle, you either want to know when it will be over or want to breed your American Bully.
Either way, you want to learn as much as possible for the best outcome. I will brief you further on this and do my best to clear up any questions.
A Brief Overview of Heat in Dog
From about six months old to the remainder of their life, female dogs will experience estrus, or heat, every six months. This is the period when she’s open to mating.
Hormonal changes will cause apparent differences in your dog, indicating she’s in heat, including a swollen vulva, bleeding, frequent urination, and increased nervousness or alertness.
She will also offer herself to male Bully dogs by raising her posterior and holding her tail off to the side. Bullies can go into heat as young as four months in smaller classes, but the average is about six months old.
Some giant breeds may only enter their first heat at 18-24 months old. It is strongly advised not to breed immature females during their first and second cycles.
The eggs still need to mature, and the dog needs to grow fully. Your vet can tell you when the dog is ripe enough to breed if you plan on breeding.
How Long Do American Bully Females Stay in Heat?
American Bully females will go into heat approximately every six months and remain in heat for 2 to 4 weeks. The first heat starts at around six months of age, and this cycle continues for the remainder of the Bully’s life. However, the time between heats will get longer.
It is not recommended that you breed the Bully for their first two cycles as they are still maturing physically during that time.
A Bully that has been undernourished will go into heat at an older age, similar to how malnourished children will postpone puberty. That is why, for a breeding Bully dog, it is critical to ensure that they receive adequate nutrition from a young age.
Your dog’s size also reveals when it will go into heat. Smaller dogs usually go into heat at a younger age, sometimes at 4 months old, whereas bigger dogs will take longer to mature and, thus, more time to have their first heat.
Smaller dogs will also cycle more rapidly as adults having up to three to four heats per year, while bigger dogs may have only once a year.
American Bullies are mid-sized dogs, so they tend to go into heat right about six months of age and should continue to cycle twice per year in the peak years of their life, only slowing down once they reach older age.
Process of The Heat Cycle
American Bully’s heat cycle will last between two to four weeks, during which she’ll only be predominantly fertile for about five days. This is generally estimated to be 10- 14 days after their first day of heat, but progesterone testing is the only dependable way to measure this.
You’ll notice that your lady is going into heat because her vulva has swollen, and you’ll start to notice bloody discharge. She may also begin to act further anxious and seek out and present herself to a male canine.
The first time you notice blood is the day that counts as the “day one” of your canine’s heat. After that, your American Bully will continue bleeding for two to four weeks.
On average, the American Bully will ovulate a little over a week into her heat and be fertile from days 10- 14. maximum female Bullies become fruitful and open right around day 11, although this can vary greatly.
Some Bullies have short cycles, while others won’t ovulate for many weeks. After your Bully has ovulated, the eggs will develop for many days before they become fertile.
This differs from humans because we’re fertile as soon as we ovulate. No development time is needed in humans. After your Bully has ovulated, she’ll be fertile and ready to breed for less than a week.
Also, if she hasn’t been successfully bred, she’ll slowly come out of the heat and return to normal.
Variation Among Individual Dogs
The period of heat varies drastically from one individual to another. Some female dogs may start their heat cycle after four months, while others may begin at eight months.
The height and age of the dog play a massive role in the heat process. Smaller dogs start their cycle earlier. Sometimes female dogs don’t show signs of heat and pass the cycle without the owner noticing.
The reaction of male dogs is also different. Male responses are highly variable. Some go into moody, noisy, or pugnacious moods when there’s a bitch on heat nearby.
Some don’t react strongly, few would stop eating, and others want to fight. Experienced studs aren’t very interested unless the bitch is in full “standing heat.” Inexperienced boys tend to get excited earlier.
You should be prepared for the worst if you are inclined to fight and need good fencing. The time of the first heat is highly variable, it could be four months or eight months, or there could be an initial “silent season,” which the male Bullies may notice but you may not.
Factors that Can Affect the Duration of The Heat Cycle
Not many external factors affect the course of the heat cycle. The main element to affect a Bully’s heat cycle is genetics. Every dog has different genes, so every dog will have a different heat cycle.
All breeds have different time intervals among heat cycles. On average, an American Bully will go into heat at six months. This can be affected by nutrition.
A Bully that has malnutrition will go into heat at a late age. The time of the start of the first heat cycle can also affect the arrival of the next heat.
Overall, the main factors are genes and the breed. External factors don’t change much in a dog’s heat cycle except delay it.
Signs of Heat in American Bully Females
When any female dog goes into heat, she will start showing signs of heat. Some are physical, while others are behavioral. Sometimes dogs don’t even show symptoms of going through a silent season.
Physical Change
Hormonal changes will cause pronounced differences in your American Bully, indicating she’s in heat. Physical changes include a swollen vulva, bloody discharge, and frequent urination.
The Bully may even lick her vaginal area and sometimes gets fatigued. Her body is getting ready for mating. The main physical change happens inside the female’s body.
During this period, the ovaries mature and ripen to be fertilized. Hormones run high, making the dog more submissive. Her vulva is enlarged to receive a male, and her teats will also grow.
Behavior Change
In addition to physical changes, there are behavioral changes in a female Bully in heat. In the heat, a Bully will become more cuddly and servile to male dogs and sometimes could be completely different by acting anxious or tired. She may also be easily spooked.
Due to hormonal changes, the female American Bully may sometimes act out. She may be angry sometimes and even bark or bite.
However, that is only for a short period, and she will become submissive to male dogs. She may also lose her appetite and not eat, or she will eat a lot more than usual.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
How Often Does a Female American Bully Go Into Heat?
American Bullies go into heat at six months for the rest of their lives. The first heat is at the age of six months, and it continues like this throughout the prime years and slowly becomes delayed as the female grows older.
At What Age Do American Bullies Go Into Heat?
The American Bullies first go into heat at the age of 6 months. A female who has faced malnutrition may face a delayed heat cycle.
How Do You Know When The Dog Heat Is Over?
When the heat is over, all her vulva will return to the standard size, and there’s no more bleeding; that is how you will know. A heat cycle lasts 2 – 4 weeks, so you can expect it to be over by then.
What Are the 4 Stages of A Dog in Heat?
There are four stages of a dog in heat are:
- Proestrus Stage: The first stage is proestrus, in which the vulva enlarges as an indicator of the start of the heat period.
- Estrus Stage is when the ovaries release eggs for fertilization, and the female will enjoy a male dog’s company. This is the second stage of the heat period.
- Diestrus Stage: This is the end of fertilization of the dog. The puppies are born in this period if the dog has been impregnated. This stage lasts between 60 – 90 days if the female is pregnant.
- Anestrus Stage: This is the resting phase. There is no fertility activity for 100-150 days in this period. This is usually the gap between two heat cycles.
Will My Dog Bleed for 3 Weeks?
The female dog will bleed for about 2 to 4 weeks throughout the heat. This indicates that she is in heat, and the heat is over when the bleeding stops.
Conclusion
Even though the heat lasts about 4 weeks, she can only be fertilized for about 5 days. This small window is your chance to breed for a successful litter. But if you don’t want to breed, you can separate the female and care for her.
She can get a little grumpy, but it’s not her fault. It is something natural that has to take place. Give her extra care. Keep warm towels for her. This is a sensitive time in a Bully’s life, and she needs special attention.
Whether you choose to breed or not, you must pay attention to her health and be responsible. Take her to the vet on time for regular medical check-ups and to avoid any complications. Perform all tests and screenings necessary. All of this is for the best of the dog you.
