Please why do some dogs eat their puppies? I have a GSD who just gave birth. On the third day, i returned home from work to discover one puppy missing, even though the whole environment was secured. This has happened before and i was told that it probably ate the puppy. Is this normal? What could be done to prevent this? Answers needed please

Charlesdegaulle:
Please why do some dogs eat their puppies? I have a GSD who just gave birth. On the third day, i returned home from work to discover one puppy missing, even though the whole environment was secured. This has happened before and i was told that it probably ate the puppy. Is this normal? What could be done to prevent this? Answers needed please

Q-Why do some dogs kill their pups if not taken away from them immediately?
Also this condition can be caused by a number of reasons ranging from cannibalism, lack of recognition of the pup due to several hormonal imbalances, mastitis(inflammation of the teats), stress or fear, still born or unhealthy pups. Would elaborate on the last part(still born or unhealthy pups cos I av witnessed this before). This habit isn't restricted to just dogs alone, rabbits, snakes, chickens amongst a few display this habit too and this is cos of the dam noticing that d pup is unhealthy and would just pup extra strain on her so she would rather eat it up to gain nutrients than leave it unattended to. Same scenario happens to still born too, d dam feels sorry for d loss of her pup but instead of waste dt amount of nutrients she ingests the pup to make up for the ones she has lost and at the same time feed d ones that made it.

knyte:

Q-Why do some dogs kill their pups if not taken away from them immediately?
Also this condition can be caused by a number of reasons ranging from cannibalism, lack of recognition of the pup due to several hormonal imbalances, mastitis(inflammation of the teats), stress or fear, still born or unhealthy pups. Would elaborate on the last part(still born or unhealthy pups cos I av witnessed this before). This habit isn't restricted to just dogs alone, rabbits, snakes, chickens amongst a few display this habit too and this is cos of the dam noticing that d pup is unhealthy and would just pup extra strain on her so she would rather eat it up to gain nutrients than leave it unattended to. Same scenario happens to still born too, d dam feels sorry for d loss of her pup but instead of waste dt amount of nutrients she ingests the pup to make up for the ones she has lost and at the same time feed d ones that made it.

Thanks Knyte, very useful

Charlesdegaulle:


Thanks Knyte, very useful

Am glad it was..