Giving birth to young ones is a wonderful experience for both humans and pets. Dogs will give birth to puppies, and they will show maternal love and behavior. There are certain behaviors that put puppies in danger. Dogs eating puppies is one of the behaviors that they may display. So, Why do dogs eat their puppies? In this article, we explain the reasons that make dogs eat their puppies.
The following are seven reasons that make dogs eat their puppies;
1. Does Not Recognize Their Puppies
If a mother dog does not recognize her puppies, it may lead her to kill them and eat them. This is more likely to happen if puppies are delivered by caesarean section.
2. Suffering from Mastitis
When a mother dog suffers from mastitis, it makes the teats painful to touch, making nursing very difficult.
If the puppy attempts to feed, the mother may lash out and injure or kill it, therefore eating it as a result.
3. Hunger and Malnutrition
Eating puppies is a problem when dogs are hungry because they lactate milk, which passes the needed nutrition to their puppies. Therefore, they will require enough food to lactate them and replenish lost energy during birth.
Therefore, if dogs don’t get food nearby, they start to look for food, and their puppies will be the only option. Hunger will eventually kick in their canine instincts, and they may eat their puppies without fail.
4. Stress
The main reason for stress that leads dogs to eat their puppies is busyness and noise around the birthing area.
If there are people constantly coming and going or other animals harassing her, a mother dog may flip out and start eating puppies out of stress.
5. It Is Mercy Killing
Another reason dogs eat their puppies is mercy killing. It happens when there is a weak pup that most likely won’t survive in the litter; these could be sick, deformed, injured, or naturally weak.
The mother dogs may prioritize healthy puppies over wasting resources on weak ones. This may result in mother dogs eating their weak and ill puppies to keep others safe.
6. As Result of Mistake
Dogs may accidentally kill their puppies, especially if it is their first birth. Dogs will accidentally eat their puppies, thinking that the puppy is stillborn and eating its body.
Also, they can eat them along with the placenta that contains pups, not knowing they are still inside the placenta.
7. They May Be Inexperienced or Young
Dogs that are bred too young may not know how to deal with puppies. This is because they are still young and not prepared to deal with maternal responsibilities, hence abandoning them and, as a result, eating them.
Note that a mother dog eating her dead puppy is not a common occurrence. Therefore, a dog eats a dead puppy because the puppy may be stillborn, have developed a genetic condition, or the mother dog may have had a miscarriage.
8 Ways to Stop Your Dog from Eating Puppies
To stop your dog from eating puppies, you need to follow the below eight ideas;
1. Make sure to reduce noise and prevent humans and other animals from using birth spots.
2. Keep a close eye on the puppies and separate them from their mother if you notice the dog is stressed.
3. If you notice your dog is suffering from mastitis, ensure proper treatment, separate its puppies after birth, and feed them with a bottle until the mother recovers.
4. Make sure to get a routine vet check-up to avoid a caesarian section delivery.
5. Provide a restful and peaceful environment for a dog while she gives birth.
6. Do not breed underage dogs.
7. Provide a healthy diet, plenty of water, proper bedding, and proper care to ensure a healthy delivery with healthy puppies.
8. If your attention dog is rejecting one of the puppies, take them to the vet to diagnose any illness and provide proper treatment.
Some dogs may exhibit cannibalistic behavior and eat their puppies during birth. This behavior can be influenced by stress or health problems to recover nutrients they lost and regain strength.
For a mother dog to produce enough high-quality milk to feed her puppies after giving birth. She will need high-quality food that includes large amounts of proteins, fats, and calcium, as well as enough water.
How to Know If Your Dog Rejects Her Puppies
Here are six indications to show that your dog has rejected her puppies:
1. When the mother dog is not licking all of her puppies. After birth, a dog will always lick her puppies.
2. The dog has been lying or sitting away from the litter for a long period of time.
3. If she is stressed, she may physically pick up and move puppies away from her.
4. Excessive crying from the litter.
5. The mother dog becomes aggressive towards her puppies, growling or snapping at them.
6. If the dog kills and possibly eats one or more of her puppies.
It is a good idea to stop your dog from eating her puppy’s poop. This behavior can sometimes be normal in mother dogs, but it is not healthy and can lead to health issues.
Therefore, you should monitor your dog, keep the living area clean, and provide a balanced and nutritious diet. If the behavior persists, consult your veterinarian for further guidance.
5 Reasons Why a Dog Kills Her Puppies
In some cases, a dog may exhibit aggression towards her puppies and potentially kill them. This can be a result of the following five reasons;
1. Disease or Illness
This is the most common reason why dogs kill their puppies. For instance, if a puppy is born with a deformity or disease, the mother dog may kill the weak or sickly one and focus her attention on the healthy ones.
2. Lack of Maternal Instinct
Some dogs may lack maternal instinct and proper care of their puppies due to neglect, lack of socialization, or genetics.
Therefore, without maternal instinct, a dog may kill her puppies out of negligence or because the dog does not know how to care for them.
3. Fear
Out of fear, a dog may kill her puppies. The mother dog may feel threatened by her children and lash out in hostility.
In addition, if a dog feels scared or intimidated by her puppies, she may kill them in an attempt to protect herself.
4. Competition for Resources
This is another reason that makes a dog kill her puppies.
This occurs if a mother dog feels she does not have enough food or water to care for her puppies, and she ends up killing them to prevent them from competing with her for limited resources.
5. Stress or Anxiety
A dog that feels extremely stressed or anxious may react aggressively towards her puppies and kill them. Additionally, if she gives birth under stressful conditions, she can also kill them.
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