Heat Cycle Timing

[JKent]

Ellie had her first heat cycle towards the end of last November (end of Autumn UK) and then a half cycle at the end of May (end of Spring) I am wondering how soon to expect the next one. Do they tend to come during the same month each year or is there variation with the same dog?

[tanza]

Typically they will be 12 (ish) months apart.... so if she was in heat end of November, you can expect her to come in almost any time starting in beginning of November. There can be variation but typically they follow the pattern.

[Zande]

@tanza has the right of it. A Basenji on its own will follow a more or less regular pattern. When you have a pack it can differ. My five tended to follow the first one so normally within a couple of weeks all five of them were in full flood. Except for one year. Four of them all at once, which was easy. But then, once they had all dried up, little Hope suddenly said, oh dear, I forgot it was time - and came in. The boys were relegated to the outside kennel for another month.

[tanza]

@zande - That is so true Zande, when you have a pack of bitches, the one "low" on the totem pole may be the last to come in heat in many cases... "want a be's" many times will come in first... depends on the pack.