Postpartum Dilemma: When a Mother Dog Rejects Her Puppies, How to Proceed?

Many dog owners don’t understand what is happening when a mother rejects her puppy or puppies. There are many reasons why your dog may behave in this way. Learn more about triggers, symptoms, and what to do.

In many cases, it can be shocking to learn that a mother dog has rejected her puppies. It is important to know the possible causes of this behavior and respond appropriately in every case.

Why does a mother dog reject her puppies?

Some mothers even attempt to harm their puppies’ flesh and blood. This behavior can be caused by many different factors. These are the most common reasons why a mother will reject her puppies once they have been born.

This is the bitch’s way of increasing the chances of survival for all the puppies. The bitch is trying to increase the chances of the other puppies surviving by letting too many people handle the litter.
* There are too many strangers handling the litter.
* The dam is stressed and anxious.
* A cesarean birth, which can be necessary for some breeds that have large heads or small hips. This is because the mother is unable to recognize her pup and lacks maternal drive. Contrary to normal birth, hormones that are responsible for this may not be released during a cesarean.

Even with these conditions and scenarios, the majority of mothers are going to take great care of their babies. You should still remain vigilant. Are you aware of any or all the points mentioned with your quadruple: Be alert to potential problems.

Signs that a puppy has been rejected

If a mother rejects a puppy or puppies, it usually occurs immediately after birth or within the first few weeks. The risk of being rejected decreases as the puppies age. If the mother of a puppy becomes ill, she may reject her offspring.

You should be on the lookout for:

She may hesitate to return to the pups when they make a signal for attention. She may hesitate to return to her pups when they are trying to get attention. Attention: save the puppy immediately from attacks by reacting here.

You can take action if the mother animal refuses to accept the puppies.

You should remove any puppies from the natural environment of the mother if she is aggressive towards her offspring. It is vital to the safety of any young animals. A mother will reject a single child more often than she does the whole litter. This can make the offspring weaker and even sicker. Here, pay special attention to the appropriate signs.

You should consult a veterinarian if the mother, or any of the puppies, are not well or have mammary gland inflammation.

In many cases, if a mother abandons her puppy, stops caring for it and stops feeding it, the pup must be raised by hand, either entirely or in part. You can buy the puppy replacement milk, and the small bottles you need for this. Discuss with your vet how to do it. You should be aware that this type of feeding and caring requires time and effort.