10 Natural Home Remedies For Dogs In Heat (Fast & Cheap)

It’s that time of the year again. Your dog sits on the floor and leaves red spots behind her.

Oh-oh, what a mess!

Luckily there are home remedies you can apply.

These will ensure your home stays clean. And that your dog is comfy during this period.

Continue reading to find out:

10 affordable home remedies for your dogs in heat.
What to expect if your dog is experiencing a heat cycle.
Ways to take care of your dog in a safe and natural way.
And much much more…

Table of contents

10 home remedies for dogs in heat

10 home remedies for dogs in heat

#1: Easy Do-It-Yourself cloth doggy diapers

Before anything else, you must learn to control their bleeding so it won’t get all over the house.

You must cover their sensitive area with diapers to help manage the flow.

And the best way to do this is to provide them with doggy pants or diapers which you can actually do yourself.

Things to prepare:

Scissors.
Sanitary pad.
Old pair of shorts or boxers (children’s boxers work best).

Follow these steps:

Slide the boxers up to your dog’s belly.
Mark the area where their tail must be.
Remove the boxers again before making the cut.
Create that small hole, enough for the size of their tail.
Place a sanitary napkin inside. Make sure it sticks well at the right place.

There you go!

You can now let your pooch wear it.

Not only are these cloth diapers cheap, but they are also eco-friendly.

Since they are washable and reusable, you can still keep them for their next heat cycle.

According to VCA, dogs experience being in heat twice a year. But, it may still vary in every dog. For instance, small breeds may experience four (4) heat cycles in a year.

That’s a lot so it’s best to be prepared.

With cloth diapers, you already are.

“I have some baby diapers,

Can I use these, too?”

Absolutely.

Baby diapers are a good alternative for doggy pants.

Plus, they’re definitely more absorbent and can cover wider areas compared to sanitary pads.

Just do the similar thing you did with your DIY cloth pad.

Let your dog wear it first, so you’ll know where their tail should pass. Make the hole and voila, problem solved.

Here’s a video you can check out to see how it’s done with baby diapers:

#2: Give them regular, warm baths

This is one of the most natural remedies – a good, lukewarm bath.

Giving them something they’ll love and enjoy without you having to spend anything is a win-win situation.

Bathing twice daily is recommended but it still depends on your dog if that’s what they prefer.

Washing away the odor they release can keep the male dogs away.

Also, since our dog is in heat, they’d have occasional discharge causing them to feel uncomfortable in their back-end area.

Before engaging her in a bath, make sure you’ve checked on the following:

Your dog’s mood

They can really be moody especially when they are in heat.

Your timing

Your dog may not be totally calm yet, so you have to wait for them to relax first. Forcing them to take a bath will only make the situation worse.

When you’ve finally sensed that your dog is already in a perfect mood for a good bath, it’s time to check the water’s temperature.

Make sure it’s not too hot for your dog because it might burn them.

Below are the tips you can follow…

During bath

Be sure to be extra gentle especially when you reach the belly up to their bum area. These parts are very sensitive when they’re in heat because they’re usually swollen.

Use only hypoallergenic dog shampoo on their body to avoid further irritation.

After bath

Don’t rub their body with a harsh and rough bath towel. Just gently pat them, using a soft one if possible, and then let their fur air dry.

If you have a blow dryer that you can adjust to the lowest heat, you can use that as well to dry them faster.

You might also want to know: 15 reasons why dogs shiver after a bath

#3: Prepare a calming doggy room for them

Just like humans, dogs appreciate a good and calming spa room, too.

Prep your dog’s room with things that will give them a serene and soothing experience.

Look for the most quiet room in the house.

If you don’t have one, just tell the other people in the house that you need a few moments of silence for your pooch’s rest.

And if you have kids at home, you will need to explain to them the situation.

Now, it’s time to use that “Do Not Disturb” door sign.

“Can I stay inside the room, too?”

Of course.

Your presence is definitely welcome.

As much as possible, be with your dog inside the room.

Don’t leave them yet if they’re still awake.

What you can do while you are with them is give them a gentle doggy massage.

According to PetMD, simple massages are beneficial for your dogs.

Here are the some that you can give them:

Backstroke

This type of back massage lessens the tense feeling of your dog.

How it’s done:

Start at the back of your dog’s head.
Stroke it in an up and down motion.
Repeat the movement gently while avoiding the bone area.

Forehead rub

According to Dr. Barrack, your dog’s head is where the calming points are situated, so it’s a good area to focus on.

How it’s done:

Take your dog’s nose as the starting point.
Run your thumb gently from that point towards your dog’s head.
Go back and forth a few times.

“Ooops! Not so fast.”

Before you go and start giving your dog the doggy massages, make sure that your touch is welcome. Since they’re in heat it’s better to be extra careful.

Try to touch them first in the areas you intend to massage. If you don’t get any violent reaction, then you can begin giving them their well-deserved doggy massage.

After that, your dog would probably want to sleep (if they aren’t snoozing yet).

You gotta allow them to have that.

They are probably tired with all that’s happening in their body.

Leave them with soothing music playing in the background.

“What kind of soothing music?”

Well, keep on reading and you’ll get the answer to your question.

Note: If they have their own crates, they’d probably prefer to be there. Although you can switch things up and transfer the crate inside the house, away from the lustful eyes of the other dogs.

#4: Keep them indoors for the time being

“Keep them indoors, why?”

“Until when?”

According to PetMD, for most dogs, a heat cycle may last for 2-3 weeks.

Staying indoors will help her be calm.

Even if you’re just taking your dogs, don’t forget to keep her on the leash.

It will prevent her from running away looking for the “love” of her life.

Also, if you can, please train her to pee on a potty pad.

This way she won’t walk out of your door to pee on your lawn and leave that scent for the male dogs to discover. That’s an invitation you wouldn’t want to cater to.

You might be surprised to see all of your dogs’ suitors waiting outside your house the next morning.

Note: If you think 2-3 weeks is too long for your pooch to stay indoors, then you can try this alternative. Walk your dog at a time when the other dogs are most unlikely to go out. Also avoid the areas where you’re quite sure there’ll be a lot of male dogs roaming.

#5: Spoil them with delicious food

“Aren’t you hungry, my poochy?”

You will surely be surprised if you see your dog not touching their food.

The changes in your dog’s body causes stress which leads them to losing their appetite.

It’s not bad to spoil your dogs with their cravings every now and then,

Especially if it’s the only way to make them eat.

Does your dog have a favorite food?

You can also make them some home-cooked meals. Try boiled food like chicken, fish (shredded), or boiled burger steak (fat drained off).

Note: Boiled chicken can make wonders so try that first.

#6: Let them listen to relaxing music

Now, here’s the answer related to your question in #3.

It’s time to put Spotify and Youtube to good use.

You’ll be amazed that there are actually playlists made for dogs already.

You can try searching for that on those platforms.

According to a study, dogs are more likely found just lying down when music is played in the background. This is irregardless of genre.

A group of researchers was even looking at music therapy as a tool to be used to reduce the stress in animals’ domestic surroundings, particularly in dogs.

Since your dog is in heat and your aim is to keep them stress-free, the best choice would be classical music.

Go ahead and play some Beethoven or Chopin.

You can also try exploring the following genres – soft rock and slow pop.

#7: Give them extra support and attention

During their time of hardship, no one else can help them except for their hooman.

Because of the unexplainable changes in your pooch’s body, they may lash out and get uneasy. Give them a few moments to calm down.

Your patience is really important at this time.

If you finally see that little window of opportunity, slowly approach them.

Then you can try the following:

Sit beside them.
Give them some loving strokes.
Look them in the eye (make sure they’re staring back).
Talk to them using your gentlest voice.

Then they’ll feel good and at peace again that they might forget what they’re going through for a while.

Check out also: Why does my dog sit on my lap?

#8: Allot more time for workout

Dogs who are in heat also have a build-up of energy inside of them.

And they need to engage into some workout to release that accumulated energy.

Why not craft a few activities for you and your pooch?

Yes, you’ll benefit here as well because you’ll be doing it with them.

Some indoor exercises you can both try:

Run up and down the stairs.
No Stairs? Run along the hallway.
Play hide and seek using big, old boxes.
Use the stairs again and play fetch by throwing the ball from the 2nd level.
Play tug by leading them to different parts of the house, so they don’t just stay in one place.

After all those play/ workout, rest assured your pooch will be snoring in bed in no time.

#9: Distract them with toys

Another good remedy to lure your dog to stay indoors is to prepare them some treats and puzzle toys.

Offer them soft and cuddly toys, too. Something they can wrestle and roll over with.

Although, be sure to always be on the lookout in case they unintentionally hurt themselves, especially since the sensitive areas might get hit.

Note: It’s not all the time that they’re in the mood to play. Just lay out the toys and treats in front of them. They won’t be able to resist them eventually.

#10: Hide her scent from other dogs

There are certain household items that can drive those male dogs away.

You can use that to mask the scent your dog in heat produces.

Here are the items most likely can grab:

Option #1: Vinegar

Vinegar produces a sour smell that drives dogs away.

Distribute the scent by putting a bunch of vinegar-soaked cotton balls around your lawn.

Select the places you think dogs will most likely peek or jump at.

Option #2: Citrus Scents

If you have citrus fruits at home, that’s perfect.

Don’t throw it in the garbage just yet. Instead, scatter the skins outside your lawn to drive away those prying dogs.

You can also make a DIY spray out of the fruits’ juices.

Option # 3: Alcohol

Similar to what you did with vinegar, you can soak cotton balls with alcohol and place it in certain areas outside the house.

Option #4: Ground spices

Imagine being in contact with hot peppers, that exact feeling is what the dogs feel when they come near ground spices.

For example, chili powder, pepper, paprika, ginger powder, and many more.

You can simply sprinkle some of these around your lawn and gone are all your worries.

Further reading: 9 Reasons Why Your Dog Rubs Itself On The Carpet + 7 Tips