We already know that this stage begins with the first signs of heat, and it’s very frequent that even a few days before, you will notice some changes in the behavior of a young puppy; she might become more excited or, on the contrary, be depressed as a consequence of the hormonal changes that are taking place in her body, and she might even have abdominal pain or liquid retention. It is also very frequent that she shows signs of having to urinate more frequently. We are in now the evident signs of the stages of proestrus and estrus, so the appearance of heat should not catch us by surprise. We also know, up to this point, that toy, small and medium-sized breeds will get to teenhood around five or six months of age meanwhile the bigger breeds might take a little at longer, sometimes even up to a year or more.
Coins eventually with the arrival of the first heat, you must gradually go introducing changes in the diet of your female dog, because she is about to complete a faster stage of growth in order to enter adulthood, in which she stops growing. It’s now time to replace puppy food for specific food for young dogs or adults, lower in proteins and grease.