Why isn't my dog feeding her puppies?

Question

My dog has been feeding her puppies but when we let her out to use the bathroom (she pees on the floor if we don't) she will ignore all there cries for like an hour. There cries are like really loud sharp whimpers but I'm not sure if there in pain or if there hungry. Is there something wrong?

Answer 1

Is this her first litter? when they are "feeding" make sure they really are eating sometimes it looks like they are and they're not, you can also help her with feeding the puppies by bottle feeding them and then gently rubbing tummies with a warm baby wipe this will help them digest their food... make sure the pups are kept warm and that the mom is not rejecting them by too much handling.

Answer 2

I have a standard answer and it has books mentioned I am cutting and pasting it here.. check out the books and then go to library or barnes adn noble and get the books.

books in general

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Breeding a Litter prenatal and postnatal care

http://tinyurl.com/5kcnmk

my blog:

http://golden-joy.blogspot.com

Answer 3

A RESPONSIBLE breeder would be asking a vet these Q's.  A RESPONSIBLE breeder would be weighing the puppies and know that if any are losing weight, or aren't gaining, there is a serious problem.  A RESPONSIBLE breeder would then take over the feeding of the pups, or hold her down to nurse the pups.  YES, something IS wrong.  You need to educate yourself as to how to fix it.  Go to a vet, and take your litter records with you, which will document how much the pups have gained or lost, and how long and how often they are allowed to nurse by their mother.

Answer 4

Of course Mama needs to go out to potty.

I will tell you that Mama knows best at this point.  Just as long as she does come back and tend them in a reasonable time then all is well

An hour is not unheard of with Mamas.  They have to have a break and they have to have time for their milk supply to replenish. I would not worry at this point.

Sorry about the noise but that is part of having babies of any species in your home.

Answer 5

no, thats normal. she can be away from her puppies for an hour and be perfectly fine. she just wants a break to get up and stretch. as long as she returns to them all is well. :)

Answer 6

Lynn W is absolutely right.  If the puppies are young you should weigh them everyday to ensure they are gaining weight.  This really is your only indication if all pups are getting what they need.

Answer 7

It depends on their age. The older they get, the longer the period of time she will start to leave them on their on and it is normal. If she is only leaving them for an hour, then it shouldn't be a problem. I wouldn't worry unless the puppies are losing weight.

Answer 8

This would be a GREAT question for your mentor or your vet.  Your mentor should be able to tell you whether your b*tch's line is known for being poor mothers.

Hard to answer the question accurately since we don't know the age of the dam, the age of the pups or any other pertinent information like what temperature you're keeping the whelping box. (cold pups cry... and so do HOT ones)

There is a HUGE difference between a mature b*tch leaving 4 week old pups alone for a bit and a very young (under 2 years) b*tch leaving 4 day old pups.

Answer 9

Some dogs just feel too overwhelmed by a litter of puppies. A lot of dogs won't feed there puppies it would be better to step in and start hand feeding them. Hand feeding is a lot of work though.You will have to bottle-feed puppies if they are less than six weeks old. You should purchase puppy milk formula. Puppies should not be fed baby formula or cow's milk. Puppies should be fed every three to four hours. Also, you should not put the puppy on her back when feeding. Hold puppies much like they would be positioned if they were nursing on their mother. Clean the puppies' faces when they are finished eating. When your pups are around four weeks,their teeth will start to show. Once your pups start developing teeth and they are taking a full bottle at feeding time, you should introduce solid food to them. Start with a mixture of canned and dry food. You can soften the hard, dry food with warm water. Feed the pups three to four times a day. After two weeks, you should gradually start to wean your pups off of the canned food. By this time, your pups will have learned to "lap" and will be able to drink water. Water should be provided for your pups at all times.