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Golden Retriever Heat Cycle Chart

At the age of 10 to 14 months, female Golden Retriever faces their first heat cycle, and on average, they often go in the heat every six months, that is 2 times a year.

When Golden Retriever undergoes the heat cycle, there are 4 stages that she experiences – Proestrus, Estrus, Diestrus, and Anestrus. The time duration for each of these stages differs from each other.

Below, I’ve attached a Golden Retriever Heat Cycle Chart, which depicts the 4 stages of the Heat Cycle with time duration.

Stage 1: Proestrus

This is the first stage of the Golden Retriever heat cycle, and it marks the start of it. The Golden Retriever will typically undergo quite a few physical and behavioral changes in the proestrus stage. This usually lasts for nine days, but it can last for a minimum of a day and a maximum of 27 days.

The Golden Retriever will experience some biological alterations that will prepare her for mating. One of these biological alterations is the increased level of estrogen in her system. This is the stage in which the Golden Retriever’s vulva will swell.

She may also start tucking her tail between her legs as she walks or sleeps with it between her legs. This is an effort to prevent unwanted mounting. The Golden Retriever will also display aggression towards male dogs during this stage.

Stage 2: Estrus

This is the stage in which our Golden Retriever will be more open-minded towards male dogs’ approaches because she is at the peak of her fertility. Mating typically occurs during the Estrus stage. Her reproductive system will be more active, and her ovaries will release ova, preparing her to breed, and in this stage, she moves her tail aside, willing to mate.

This stage can last between five to fourteen days. The duration of this stage is solely dependent on the dog. The color of her vaginal discharge will lighten during this stage.

Stage 3: Diestrus

At this stage, our Golden Retriever will no longer be fertile. This stage’s duration is about 24 days after the commencement of her heat cycle and can last between 60-90 days. If our Golden Retriever is pregnant, this stage will last until our Golden Retriever gives birth.

The Golden Retriever’s vulva will deflate, and our Golden Retriever will no longer be eager to interact with male dogs. The bloody vaginal discharge will also slow down during the Diestrus stage.

Stage 4: Anestrus

This is the last and longest stage of our Golden Retriever’s heat cycle. This stage can last for about 60 to 150 days. The duration is dependent on our Golden Retriever’s size. During this stage, our Golden Retriever will not display any sexual or hormonal symptoms.

This is the time span for recovery for our Golden after delivering a litter of puppies. Once ‘Stage 4: Anestrus’ is over, the heat cycle will start over again.

How Long Are Golden Retrievers Pregnant?

Golden Retrievers Gestation Period

Golden Retrievers are typically pregnant for about 63 days.

When Does A Golden Retriever Go In Heat?

Most female Golden Retrievers initially experience going into heat at the ripe age of 10-14 months. This can differ, depending on how large our Golden Retriever is; the heat cycle is continuous for the Golden Retriever’s lifetime unless they are pregnant or spayed. The heat cycles commonly occur every 9-10 months.