Your Dog's Season and False Pregnancy: What to Expect, and How to Support Her

If you share your home with an unspayed female dog, you will get to know her season well. Twice a year, give or take, she may become a little clingier, a little more restless, or simply not quite herself. And for some dogs, a few weeks later, comes something that can be more puzzling still: nesting, guarding a favourite toy as if it were a puppy, perhaps even producing milk.

None of this means anything is wrong. It is a normal part of her cycle. Knowing what to expect at each stage makes it much easier to keep her comfortable, and to spot the rare occasion when it is worth calling the vet.

Your dog's cycle, stage by stage

Being in season (also called heat or oestrus) is part of a female dog's reproductive cycle, and it continues throughout her life. Dogs do not go through a menopause the way people do. Most come into season twice a year, though this varies with breed, size and the individual dog.

A young dog's first season can be irregular while her hormones settle. Bleeding may be heavier, signs may be harder to spot, and occasionally there is a "silent season" with very little to see at all.

The signs your dog is in season

Every dog is different, but these are the changes owners most often notice:

• Weeing more often, frequently in small amounts, a bit like marking
• A change in posture when weeing; some females lift a leg
• More interest in male dogs, and sometimes presenting herself to them
• Mood changes, from extra cuddly to moody, nervous or withdrawn
• Wanting more attention than usual
• Restlessness, or taking herself off to hide; some keep moving resting spots
• Listening less, and wandering further on walks
• Sleeping more than usual, or being unusually alert
• Eating less, which is easy to overlook

False pregnancy: what it is and why it happens

False pregnancy (pseudopregnancy) is not an illness. It is a normal hormonal response that can appear 4-9 weeks after a season. A dog going through it may behave as if she is expecting: making a nest, guarding toys, becoming clingy, irritable or withdrawn. Some even show physical signs such as producing milk.

The behaviour has its roots in pack life. In a wolf pack, usually only one female has pups, but the others help raise them, and a false pregnancy lets those helpers produce milk and care for the litter. It is also why dogs that live together often find their cycles falling into step.

Most false pregnancies pass within 2-3 weeks as hormones settle, although symptoms sometimes last up to 8 weeks. That can feel like a long time for both of you.

How to help her through it

Much of what helps is simple and costs nothing:

• Keep her busy. Daily walks, play and a little brain work help redirect her focus.
• Quietly remove the toys she is mothering. It helps her let go of the behaviour.
• Stick to a calm, steady routine. Predictable days help her find her balance again.
• Keep her on a lead and close by while she is in season, and take care where you walk.

Natural, herbal support

Some owners like to add gentle herbal support during these phases. Our Hormone Balance is a blend of traditional herbs made for exactly this:

• Agnus castus (chaste tree), traditionally used to support hormonal balance
• Angelica, traditionally valued for its calming properties
• Raspberry leaves, traditionally used to support the cycle
• Lemon balm and passionflower, known for their relaxing effect, which may help a dog who feels unsettled
• Siberian ginseng (eleuthero), an adaptogen that may help the body cope with stress

It is 100% natural, with no grains, fillers or artificial additives.

How to give it: 2 g daily per 10 kg of bodyweight, mixed into her usual food (the dosing spoon is included). You can start at the first signs of her season and continue throughout. It is not suitable for pregnant or nursing dogs.

If what you are mainly seeing is restlessness or nerves, our Calm & Relax range is built on lemon balm, valerian, hops and passion flower, in powder and snack form.

When to call the vet

A season and a false pregnancy are normal, but please speak to your vet if:

• symptoms are severe, or last longer than you would expect
• her teats become hot, hard, red or painful
• she stops eating altogether, or seems unwell rather than just out of sorts
• there is any discharge outside of her season, especially if it smells or looks like pus
• you think she may actually be pregnant

Herbal support and your vet's advice are not alternatives to each other.

Shop for her season

Hormone Balance for Female Dogs - 80g
Agnus castus, angelica, raspberry leaves, lemon balm, passionflower and Siberian ginseng. 2 g daily per 10 kg, mixed into food.

Calm & Relax Powder for Dogs - 100g
Valerian root, hop leaves, lemon balm and passion flower, for dogs that are unsettled or restless.

Still not sure where to start?

Start with the simple things: a calm routine, plenty of walks, and quietly putting away the toys she is mothering. Most dogs come through a season or a false pregnancy without any trouble. If you would like to give her a little extra support, Hormone Balance is made for exactly these weeks, and if anything worries you along the way, your vet is the right first call.

Our AniForte® products are developed in close cooperation with alternative practitioners, nutrition experts and veterinarians to support the healthy development of your pet.