We are going to dedicate this article on our site to explaining a controversial issue, such as why do dogs eat their young The first thing that is important to point out is that it is a very infrequent behavior that has traditionally had different explanations, which do not have to obey reality, since they usually start from a humanization of the animal. In any case, it is a very unpleasant situation that has different justifications, and some of them harbor he alth problems in the dog, so read carefully to know when to go to the vet.
The relationship of the bitch with her puppies
In general, bitches know how to take care of their young perfectly without any help. As soon as they are born, the bitch frees them from the bag of amniotic fluid, licks them to remove secretions that could be in their nose and mouth, cuts their cord and makes sure to keep them close so that they stay warm and suck when they need it.
she Dispenses all these cares instinctively, just as she is able to get up and lie down in the nest without crushing any young. But there are some behaviors that are confusing to human eyes, being very difficult to understand, especially why dogs eat their puppies. We explain it in the following sections.
Why did my dog eat a dead puppy?
The idyllic version of motherhood that we have just exposed is truncated on occasions, fortunately not very many, in which one of the little ones is born very weak and damaged, to the point of being incompatible with life and pass away. For the mother, her body will be like a residue of childbirth, which would explain why the dog eats its young when they die, since it is common for them to ingest umbilical cords, placentas and any other debris to avoid attracting predators. The dog's instinct does not know that she does not run these dangers inside our home.
Therefore, if our dog has eaten a puppy, the most normal thing is to think that the little one had died. On the other hand, it is not strange that in each litter a litter dies and the bitch does not eat it. Thus, more studies are needed to explain why some dogs eat their babies.
Other times bitches may abandon their puppies if they do not have milk or suffer some complications such as eclampsia, mastitis o metritis Also, if a little one is sick and its temperature drops, the mother expels it from the nest. For us it is cruel but for the dog it is instinctive, it is natural selection. Also, mothers may injure puppies by mistaking them for the placenta, cutting the cord, etc. Problems are more common in first-time bitches, bitches with little interest in motherhood, or those that have had a caesarean section that has affected bonding.
Finally, if the dog miscarries, it is possible that she ingests the remains that she eliminates, including puppies, if that is the case. It is also an instinctive and natural behavior.
Why does my dog leave her puppies alone?
We have already seen that why dogs eat their young would have an instinctive basis even though, from the human point of view, it is reprehensible behavior. The same thing happens when the bitch leaves her puppies alone. At first it is normal that she does not separate from her little ones and only gets up to feed or urinate, not taking more than a few minutes to return to the nest. But, as the days go by, these periods of separation will increase. Sometimes the little ones will cry desperately but we should not worry, since the bitch knows how long she can be absent Only if the bitch refuses to return to the nest and ignores the call of their young we could speak of maternal abandonment and intervene.
By 10 days of age, puppies will begin to open their eyes, by 15 they will begin to walk, and by three weeks they are able to eat solids. As these advances occur, they will interact more and more with each other and less with their mother.
Why does my dog bite her puppies?
Removing the cases in which the dog can accidentally bite her little ones, there is another maternal behavior that is explained by attending to the same reason as why dogs ate their young, which is not is other than instinct. It is about the attacks, including bites, of the mother against her puppies.
These usually start at the same time that the litter starts to walk and eat alone. At that time it is normal for the dog to attack them if they try to eat from her feederIn the same way, there will come a time when she will violently reject them when they want to suckle The bitch is educating her offspring and it is absolutely normal behavior of the species.
How to prevent a dog from eating the puppies?
We have already seen why dogs eat their puppies and, since it is an instinctive behavior, it will be difficult to avoid, but we can try to influence the factors that increase the probability of death of the pups. Thus, if we adopt a pregnant dog we must provide adequate nutrition for her condition and veterinary follow-up. In no case will we give you any product, not even food supplements, without a veterinary prescription, since they could cause malformations in the fetuses and even abortions. It is also advisable not to stress the dog and offer her a comfortable and calm environment.
On the other hand, if all the puppies are alive at birth but we observe that the dog rejects a puppy, we can take it to the vet and have it examined by the professional in order to know if suffers from any he alth problem.
Why do male dogs eat their young?
Male dogs don't eat their young or kill them, at least not knowinglyIt is true that there are examples of males of other species, such as lions or gorillas, who, when gaining control of a group, kill all the young for two reasons: to avoid having to allocate resources to the care of some offspring that carry genes that are not theirs and, secondly, to remove the offspring, to make the female come back into heat. In the case of female dogs, their jealousy occurs approximately every six months, regardless of whether or not they have litters.
Of course, a dog hanging around the nest can stress the mother and inadvertently hurt the puppies if her contact with them is too rough. That is why we must monitor these interactions until the puppies are old enough. Allowing more or less intercourse will also depend on the character of the adult male.
