Why Does My Female Dog Move Her Puppies Around?

Puppies being born is an exciting moment we'd like to stretch out over time. Even so, paying excessive attention to newborns, wanting to hold them in your arms at all hours, is quite likely to bother the mother. Negative emotions such as anxiety, fear and even aggression will surface in her.

To prevent unwanted behaviour in your pet, and for the puppies' sake, you'll need to follow a series of guidelines, which we reveal below. Why does my female dog move the puppies around? We'll show you in detail, along with the steps you should follow for everything to go well.

Possible Behaviours of a Female Dog Who Has Just Given Birth

During pregnancy you're unlikely to notice major changes in your friend. Even so, as the birth approaches she'll feel more nervous, restless and anxious. Providing her with a nest where she can rest away from the household bustle will help her a great deal at these times.

Some female dogs become particularly affectionate, cuddlier than usual, when they sense the birth is close. Others, on the other hand, avoid physical contact. Once the birth has happened, aggression, lethargy, anxiety, or devouring one of the pups (or the whole litter) are possible scenarios. Let's go through them.

Aggression

This is usually common within the first few hours after birth, coinciding with the exhaustion that will already be evident at that stage of the process. If you get too close or make a move to stroke one of the pups, she'll bare her teeth, growl, or even try to neutralise you by biting.

Lethargy

As we've said, exhaustion won't take long to show up once the litter is born. This is natural. Even so, if you notice she barely moves, that she does so very slowly, that she ignores her pups, or even that she doesn't seem to notice she could crush them when lying down, this could point to a complication. See the vet as soon as possible.

Devouring the Puppies

Surprising as it may be, this is a common behaviour in the animal kingdom. So, some female dogs may end up eating their pups, or some of them. Why do they do it? Because they feel overwhelmed by the situation and don't feel capable of caring for their puppies, especially if they sense one of them is weak.

Anxiety

You'll know your female dog is anxious because of the birth if she whimpers, trembles and gets very worked up when you try to pick up any of the newborns. She might also lick you compulsively, move the little ones around, or hide them, with the risks that carries.

She Brings Me Her Pups

This is another of the possible behaviours of a first-time mother. If you find she brings you her pups, one by one, it means she considers them safest right by your side. Besides feeling flattered, you should check the nest to find out what's lacking and fix it.

Why Does My Female Dog Move the Puppies Around?

As you can see, your pet taking her pups and moving them somewhere else, or hiding them, is a clear sign of stress and anxiety. She doesn't feel her pups are safe, and does what she considers necessary to protect them somewhere safer and more suitable.

It's understandable that we can't resist stroking and holding the puppies, but our good intentions create fear, stress and even aggression in the mother. By moving them elsewhere, she could hide them in dangerous or hard-to-reach spots, such as a hole, for example.

Hence the value of providing her with a nest where she can clean and feed them properly. In fact, her emotional state being disturbed will directly affect milk production. On another note, not letting you approach her pups is common in adopted female dogs, since they haven't yet built a very solid bond with you.

Tips for Preventing These Behaviours

There's one argument repeated throughout this article, and that's the female dog's need to find safety and confidence. She feels vulnerable and is 100% focused on caring for her puppies, but to do it properly she needs to feel supported and in a safe environment. So, pay attention to this advice:

• Provide her with a comfortable shelter, with a warm, soft bed, and a safe one (in a separate, quiet room, not too busy).
• Speak to her in a low, affectionate voice. Use the moments when she's feeding or cleaning her pups to praise her. Hard as it may be to believe, it will comfort her and let her know she's doing well.
• Pick up the pups as little as possible, especially during the first few weeks, only when strictly necessary. For example, when you need to tidy the nest.
• Avoid unfamiliar visitors at home who could stress her out because of the novelty.
• Set aside time for her to go outside. Walking, especially out in nature, will help her clear her head and release tension.
• Don't skip vet visits, especially in the days following the birth.

In short, your female dog moving her newborns around is an unmistakable sign of anxiety you can easily ease by applying the tips we've just given you. We hope you put them into practice, and congratulations on the good news! Leave us your comments!