[mijke]

I am not a vet and I can only tell you my experiences as breeder (of several breed)

Originally Posted by wildenmorgen

1. What seems to be typical for a CSV - coming into heat once a year, or twice a year...or every 8 months?

The most CsW I know between 8 and 13 months

Originally Posted by wildenmorgen

2. How long is a typical heat cycle in a CSV?

I did see (and did hear of other breeders) a lot of differences in wolfdog breed. Some 2,5 weeks till even 6 weeks and even with 6 weeks a normal covering and pregnancy did follow! My own female always about 30 days (even when there was a male at home)

Originally Posted by wildenmorgen

3. Are heat cycles affected by temperature/climate?

I really don’t know, but I did hear for example of a breeder in Israel her dog was in heat every 12 months. An other interesting thing I did discuss before with other breeders in CZ: in east Europe countries most females are in heat in autumn. But in west Europe a lot of them in later months (my female always in January/February)

Originally Posted by wildenmorgen

4. In other breeds, it is considered bad to breed during the first heat, but other breeds also come into heat much earlier (I think...my oldest CSV is 16 months, and still has not had hers...). Is it considered safe to breed with a first or second heat cycle with the CSV?
5. What is considered a "safe" age to do a first breeding with a female CSV (if health tests are clear)?

I never mate a female (of any breed) the first heat. I always wait till they are more grown up. And then for a CsW it means sometimes first covering with 3 years.

Originally Posted by wildenmorgen

6. Is there a "normal" time between the first signs of bleeding, and when the female CSV will accept a male?

Comparing with my other breed there is not a “normal” time with wolfdogs! My CsW female did accept the males between 25 and 28 days. And there was no difference if there was a male at home or not.

But I know a lot of case with “strange heats”, like for example a split heat, of wolfdogs (CsW and SWH) without any pathological reasons, but sometimes maybe physiological reasons. And sometimes the owner never find out what was the reason!