Cold Weather Guidelines for Your Bernese Mountain Dog Regardless of your dog breed, once temperatures fall below 20F, you should be aware that your Berners could potentially suffer from cold-associated health problems like hypothermia and frostbite. If you like freezing temperatures and wet snow, your dog should too. Regardless of your dog breed, once temperatures fall below 20F, you should be aware that your Berners could potentially suffer from cold-associated health problems like hypothermia and frostbite.
Proestrus: The beginning of heat lasts between 7 and 10 days. During this time, the vulva begins to swell and your dog begins to bleed. Do Dogs Have Periods? Female dogs do undergo a regular cycle and bleed once they reach maturity, if they are not spayed. How long does a heat cycle or estrus last? Heat cycles vary, but average two to three weeks for most dogs. The heat cycle begins with the first signs of vulvar swelling or vaginal discharge. It ends when all discharge ceases and the vulva has returned to its normal size.
Some intact bitches have developed pyometra inflammation and infection in the uterus during or after heat cycles which can be a life threatening condition. Vaginal discharges with a foul odor or of a pussy, or tomato soup consistency should be checked out promptly by a vet. A bitch may miss a meal or two during the time she is in season or when ovulating.
Any continued refusal to eat especially in combination with frequent urination over more than a few days may require further investigation by a vet. It may be advisable to spay your female between 6 - 8 months of age if you do not plan to breed her. Some males have a very strong reproductive drive while others do not.
Berner males can start to lift their leg when urinating as early as 6 months; but it is normal for males to not begin to lift legs until they reach 18 months. It is advisable to neuter your male if you do not plan to use him for breeding at around a year to 18 months of age. Distract intact males with a game of catch or a walk if they become inappropriately amorous and attempt to mount and hump other dogs, pets or people. When reproductive hormones kick in some male Bernese may start to show aggressive behaviors towards other dogs, other male dogs especially.
Males can be territorial and some react unfavorably to another dog invading their space. Tight quarters where a group of intact overly excited males have the opportunity to bump into each other can pose a risk to other dogs and to people.
Inappropriate behaviors or signs of aggression like jumping on the back of another dog, placing the head over the shoulders of another dog, pulling while on leash and straining to move towards another dog, growling or charging should be met with calm and a mind towards placing the aggressor under control.
If the dog is not on a leash - he should be - and he should be under control. Dogs that are not behaving with good sense and proper manners should be directed to sit or lie down. The command must be enforced. Do not permit an out of control dog to continue or accelerate his inappropriate behavior. Remove the dog from the situation if he is unresponsive to basic commands like down or sit. A time out and separation can prevent a dog that displays no self control from starting a fight.
With the large, impressive size of a young adult Bernese, often owners expect their yearling to act like a fully matured dog. Pups of this age that have been offered consistent guidance, have been socialized and have been taught to go outside to eliminate should know how to follow commands with reasonable consistency.
A yearling Bernese should be housebroken when provided with consistent opportunities at 4 - 8 hour intervals to visit the outdoors; but that does not mean accidents can't happen. Yearling Berners are still puppies and will behave as such. It is not realistic to expect more of your pup than the maturity at a year of age allows. Pups of this age have energy and curiosity. Some will still chew and find inappropriate ways to entertain themselves. A young bored Berner will get into mischief.
Berners can be exceptionally creative in finding an outlet for pent up energy - counter surfing, hole digging, house or yard plant eating, feather pillow destruction, TV remote control ravaging, garden hose evisceration, newspaper shredding, and other devilish antics we humans are not amused by can tickle a young dog's fancy. The Swiss saying, "Three years a puppy, three years a good dog, three years an old dog and the rest is a gift" is an accurate description of the Bernese Mountain Dog.
Bernese Mountain Dogs will continue to lay down bone, put on width and substance, and heads will continue to broaden well into the second and third year of life. Young dogs are rarely as together structurally, appearance or behavior wise as mature three or four year olds.
By the time individual dogs in this breed reach 5 - 7 years of age, they should be in glorious in coat; their structure set; they should be calm and self assured; they are in full body and are, ideally, in the prime of their lives. The coat itself, however, helps your canine maintain a normal body temperature. Berners shed their thick undercoat in spring and summer.
Female dogs have four stages in their reproductive cycle, which denote their ability to breed, successfully fertilize, and birth puppies. Smaller dogs often have their first estrus cycle at a slightly younger age, while giant breeds might be 18 months or even 2 years old before coming into heat for the first time.
As large breeds go, the Bernese does take quite a long time to mature. They usually do not calm down until they are around years old and until that point they can be extremely boisterous. How long does estrus last? Estrus is the stage when the dog can become pregnant. The only sure way to tell if your dog has gone out of heat is through the vaginal cytology method. Bernie may become nervous, moody, and clingy.
Appetite changes are also very common. This dog would usually go into the first heat somewhere between months of age. Of course, it can occur earlier about 6 months of age but also may not experience a heat cycle before the second birthday. Heat cycles might be pretty irregular in the first two years, after which they tend to normalize. If you want to breed your Bernie, note that mating her during her first cycle is not recommend. She is simply not ready to be a mother in that young puppy age.
Pregnancy can come with a lot of health risks plus your Bernie might reject puppies. Overall, not a good idea. If you want to breed your dog, wait until she goes through at least two or even three heat cycles.
Bleeding may last anywhere between 4 days to 2 weeks. Bloody discharge, red in color is characteristic of the first phase of a cycle called Proestrus. Moreover, she could show signs of aggression if they try to mount her. After Proestrus, your female will go into Estrus, t he most fertile period of the heat cycle. The bleeding may continue but the color and amount of discharge will change.
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