30/07/2026
I’d love to hear your experiences. 💜
Koya is in heat… again. 🫠
I actually had to double-check the dates because it feels like we 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 went through this. She stopped bleeding on February 23rd, which means it’s been just under five months.
Her cycle has always been on the shorter side. Usually six months between heats, three weeks of bleeding, followed by a false pregnancy.
That’s actually the part that affects us the most.
When her hormones take over, she becomes more insecure and reactive, especially during her false pregnancy. Her resource guarding becomes much more prominent, she gets stressed more easily, and behaviours we’ve worked so hard on suddenly become more difficult again.
Then, for those three-ish months before her next heat, she’s a completely different dog. Not perfect, but calmer, playful, more emotionally balanced, and just… more herself.
And that’s when the questions start creeping back in.
Would spaying help?
Would it make things worse?
How much of what I’m seeing is hormones, and how much is simply who Koya is?
Because her cycles are so short and she’s affected by her hormones like this, I keep wishing the clear answer would be that spaying would 100% benefit her.
But I have so many doubts and worries about the what-ifs, and whether it would even truly be in 𝘒𝘰𝘺𝘢’𝘴 best interest.
I’ve spoken with our vet, breeders, and other dog owners, and there just doesn’t seem to be one right, easy answer.
Which is, of course, frustrating for someone who overthinks everything to the nth degree…
So, if you’ve been in a similar situation, I’d genuinely love to hear your experience. 💜
🤍 What made you decide to spay (or not to)?
🤍 Did it help with the challenges you were facing? What changes did you notice, both physically and mentally?
🤍 Is there anything you wish you’d known beforehand?
Thank you. 🐾
