A Complete Guide To The Corgi Heat Cycle [+ Tips]

Going into heat is what we refer to when we talk about periods in dogs. Unfortunately, Corgis must undergo this process if you want them to breed.

The Corgi heat cycle repeats every 6 months, or twice per year. It typically lasts around 2-4 weeks. Your Corgi will go through a few stages, all of which come with their specific characteristics. Owners have a few important responsibilities when caring for their Corgi in heat.

• What Does Going Into Heat Mean?
• What Are The 4 Stages Of A Dog In Heat?
• How Do I Know My Corgi Is In Heat?
• When Does A Corgi First Go Into Heat?
• How Long Does A Corgi Heat Last?
• What To Do When Your Corgi Is In Heat?
• What Age Is Best To Spay Or Neuter A Corgi?

What Does Going Into Heat Mean?

Just like female humans get a “menstruation”, dogs go “in heat”. This is a period when the female reproductive organs of the individual dog prepare for reproduction. Physiologically, when the dog is in heat, its body produces a sharp rise and fall of estrogen. This signals the ovaries to release eggs and prepare for fertilization. 

The rise of estrogen also causes the body temperature of the dog to rise, which is why it’s called “going into heat”. Once the dog “goes into heat”, it means that it is sexually mature and capable of reproduction.

What Are The 4 Stages Of A Dog In Heat?

The canine estrous cycle consists of 4 different stages. These four stages include proestrus, estrus, diestrus, and anestrus. You can differentiate the stages by their symptoms. They include behavioral, physiologic, physical, and hormonal changes. Here is a bit more information about all of them.

Proestrus

The Corgi heat cycle begins with the first stage called proestrus. It lasts around 7-11 days and it is a period during which your Pembroke Corgi will not be fertile. It also won’t want to mate with other dogs, even though they will want to mate with her. Some symptoms you will notice are:

• Swollen vulva
• Tucked tail to hide the vulva
• Bleeding or bloody discharge
• Behavioral changes
• Aggression toward male dogs

Estrus

The second stage is known as the estrus stage. It lasts for the next 7-11 days after the proestrus stage. It is the most important one because your Corgi will be fertile and will get pregnant if you mate it with a non-neutered male dog. Symptoms of this stage include:

• Holding the tale to the side
• Reduced bleeding and discharge
• Increased urination
• Flirty behavior with male dogs
• Aggressive behavior with female dogs

Diestrus

The Corgi in heat will then go into the third stage called diestrus. In the diestrus stage, the body of the Corgi breed will start going back to normal. This stage lasts around 7 days. Of course, if the dog has been impregnated, this stage will last for longer. The Corgi will be pregnant for 60-70 days before finally giving birth. Symptoms include:

• Low interest in male dogs
• The vulva is reduced back to its normal size
• The vaginal discharge is reduced until it completely stops

Anestrus

The Corgi that goes through all the previous three stages finally reaches its final stage called the anestrus stage. This stage is also known as the resting stage. This is because the body of the Corgi is completely back to “normal”. It is essentially the normal stage in which your dog will be until the next reproductive cycle comes again.

How Do I Know My Corgi Is In Heat?

To be certain that your Corgi is in heat, you need to look out for the physical signs. The most common signs include a swollen vulva, blood-tinged discharge, frequent urination, and behavioral changes. You may also notice the dog leaving wet spots that are not urine. Not all dogs have the same symptoms though. Here are a few more symptoms to look out for:

• Excessive licking of the genitals
• Lethargy
• A change in appetite
• Change in sleeping habits
• Aggressiveness toward male dogs
• Mood swings
• Spots of blood around the house
• Changes in the quality of the coat

When Does A Corgi First Go Into Heat?

Both the Pembroke Welsh Corgi and Cardigan Welsh Corgi reach sexual maturity at the age of 9-11 months. This is the time they go into their first heat.

Of course, there are exclusions to this rule. Some Corgis may come into heat sooner than 9 months. Some Corgis will come into heat later than 11 months. “When young dogs first begin to cycle, it is normal for their cycles to be somewhat irregular. It can take up to two years for a female dog to develop regular cycles.”, says Dr. Malcolm Weir.

If you want to have an approximate idea of when your Corgi will go into heat, you can ask the breeder from where you bought it. Knowing when its mother’s heat began will reflect its own heat.

How Long Does A Corgi Heat Last?

On average, the heat cycle of a Corgi will last around 2-4 weeks. After the first 7-11 days of the proestrus stage, your Corgi will enter the estrus stage in which it will be fertile. This is when you should try breeding your Corgi if that is your goal. The timing is different for other dog breeds.

The breed of the dog, its size, and its age, all affect the length of the heat cycle. For giant breeds, the heat cycle repeats once a year, while smaller breeds go into heat four times a year.

Healthy, adult Corgis go into heat twice per year, or once every 6 months. Around 2-4 heat cycles after the puppy have its first heat, a regular pattern of the heat cycle develops.

If Corgi is suffering from some health issues, the length of the estrus cycle will be affected. You will have to contact your vet for help.

What To Do When Your Corgi Is In Heat?

Once your female Corgi puppy reaches its heat cycle, you will have to take some measures to help it overcome the period.

Be Tolerable And Understanding

Physical, and behavioral changes, as well as mood swings, are all expected during the dogs heat cycle. Owners have difficulty dealing with these changes, but the Corgi going through the changes have it worse. Hence why you as the pet owner should be extra tolerant and help your pet.

Avoid getting angry once your Corgi starts being disobedient. Take a few hours of your day to cuddle up and give it some affection. Consider buying a new dog toy to distract it.

You aren’t the only one that should be cautious. Tell your family members that the puppy is going through difficult changes and needs everyone to be respectful.

Purchase Some Dog Diapers

Once the pet parent knows how dogs periods work, they should prepare for the upcoming messiness and provide proper care. There are special diapers meant for dogs that help in this situation. The doggie diaper prevents any mess made from runny discharge and blood. This will leave your home cleaner for longer. These special pants will also prevent your pup from licking, biting, or irritating its genital area.

One problem with these is that your Corgi might not tolerate them as well and escape them leaving you with a big mess. In this case, you can use a surgical recovery suit for dogs. You can also cover your furniture with a blanket or a towel.

Supervise

Because your Corgi will become fertile during its heat cycle, other male dogs will smell this and try to mate with it. To prevent accidental pregnancy, your job is to supervise your pup and not leave it alone outside.

Corgis have an aggressive tendency due to their herding past. During the proestrus stage, the female Corgi will be aggressive toward other dogs. You need to supervise it to prevent fights from breaking out. During the estrus stage, you need to supervise it because it will try to escape from you and look for a mating partner.

Be extra careful while taking your Corgi on a walk in public places. If you have a yard to exercise it in, avoid dog parks.

Provide A Safe Space

We know when female Corgis go into heat so we need to be ready to provide a safe space for it. Spare an area in your home where your pup can lie down and relax if it wants some peace. It won’t require a lot of space so you can keep your Corgi in an apartment. Be sure to check up on it from time to time but don’t be too intrusive.

You should also make sure to spare some time and clean up its bedding. It will get dirty from blood stains and vaginal smears and it might start smelling bad. Also, dirty bedding carries a lot of bacteria that can be harmful to the dog.

What Age Is Best To Spay Or Neuter A Corgi?

Most veterinarians recommend spaying or neutering your Corgi once it reaches full physical and sexual maturity. This prevents unwanted litters and breeding but also has other benefits. Corgis reach sexual maturity with their first heat cycle. However, they reach physical maturity around 18-24 months of age. There are complications if this is done earlier.

So you should expect to go through a few heat cycles before having your Corgi spayed/neutered. According to one study, doing it early can cause some dog health complications. Dr. Benjamin L. Hart et al. say that:

Recent research reveals that for some dog breeds, neutering may be associated with increased risks of debilitating joint disorders and some cancers, complicating pet owners’ decisions on neutering.

This includes diseases like hip dysplasia, osteosarcoma, and urinary incontinence. Neutering a Corgi may cause some side effects. It is not uncommon that dogs testicles turn black after neutering. There may be other more serious side effects as well.

Final Thoughts About The Corgi Heat Cycle

If you are a dog owner, at some point in your life you will encounter your dog going into heat. The heat cycle of the Welsh Corgi begins at the age of 9-11 months. Once it happens, it lasts for 2-4 weeks and then stops. For Corgis, the whole process repeats every 6 months. That makes two periods in a year.

The dog heat cycle consists of 4 stages, each important for itself. All of the stages have specific symptoms that you can recognize. The job of the owner is to recognize these signs and help their dog go through the period.

To help your female Corgi you should first be very tolerant. Buy the special dog diaper and provide a safe space for your dog to rest. You should also supervise your Corgi to make sure it’s safe and prevent an unwanted pregnancy by stopping accidental breeding.

FAQ

At what age are Corgis full grown?

When it comes to size, Corgis are fully grown at the age of 1-2 years. Regarding their maturity, Corgis calm down at the age of 1-2 years. They reach sexual maturity with the first heat cycle.

How Many Puppies Do Corgis Have?

Usually, a Corgi will have around 6-8 adorable puppies in one litter. Of course, there will be exceptions to this, with some Corgis having less or more than that.

What should you feed your Corgi on its period?

During the Corgi heat cycle, give as much nutritious food as you can. Because the dog can be picky during this period, try to give some tasty foods. These can include frozen fruits, yogurt, and sardines.

More information on the Corgi

Here are a few other resources that offer more information about the popular Corgi.

• Can you shave a Corgi
• Why do Corgis have short legs
• Corgi sleeping on back
• Corgi shedding
• Corgi with tail

You can find another related article and a lot more information on Corgis on our site Dogisa!