Читать книгу The Complete Book of Dog Breeding - Dan Rice - Страница 29

A unique and poorly explained canine estrous idiosyncrasy is often reported in scientific literature without interpretation. It is especially prevalent in kenneled dogs, but may also be seen when two adult, intact females live in the same house.

A bitch in heat influences other intact bitches in the immediate environment to begin proestrus. Sometimes referred to as the dormitory effect, it is studied by a few, denied by many doubters, and affirmed by most of us. Simply put, typical proestrus, followed by normal standing heat may be induced in one female by another bitch in heat.

I doubt that anyone fully understands the mechanism of induced estrus, but some experts believe that it may be due to pheromones that are produced by bitches in the proestrus or estrus phase of the estrous cycle. (Pheromones are chemical substances produced by one animal that stimulate certain behavioral responses in other animals of the same species.)