Standard Poodle Q&A

My three year old dachshund had her first litter. She ONLY had 1 pup but its a stillborn. She still licked and loved on the pup trying to get that poor thing to react but we took it and buryed it. the problem is now sheis treating my husband like a pupand she whimpers and cries until she gets to be around him. she doesnt seem to stop whimper and crying. everything came out when she delievered. She isnt tender in the belly. Is that a normal thing for a dog to grieve their only pups loss? is it normal for her to treat my husband like that? please help.

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Answers (4)

Absolutely! My dachshund Sofie went through the same except she had 2 still borns. It's almost as if she is filling a void by taking care of "her family". Sofie now takes care of anything we put in front of her as if it was her baby pup.


Yes it is normal for a dog to miss their puppy dearly, just like a lionees and her cub and also just like a mother and her baby. But I don't know about your husband, maybe you should breed her again for her new litter? Maybe she will stop?


very normal...I bred Mini-Doxies for several years. They usually don't have "just one" pup so it's very possible that she had another that died invitro. When that happens her body usually absorbs the dead pup(s) inside depending on the invitro age the pup(s) died inside her. Even if she only had the one, it's very normal for her to "mother" even other pets if you have any. If it was your husband that helped her (mostly) during her labor she may think that he "still has her pup". This will pass most likely after her milk dries up, and she starts a new cycle. The attachment to your hubby is more than likely that she thinks he has her pup, and she's trying to make sure that he is caring for it - or she could still be looking for the pup "on him" somewhere. It will pass. If she had had more than one she would still be looking, but her attention would have went to any other pups that she had. You may want to reconsider not having anymore litters with your Doxie. Her uterus (or several reasons) may be the cause of the stillbirth, and that she only had one pup. We never had less than 2-3, and as many as 6-7 pups per litter. Is she really tiny? There could be reasoning there as well. Another thing to remember, if you have another litter, is that you usually do have to help during labor (have a babies "snot bulb" ready to suck any fluid out of the new pup's nose (and mout if necessary). Also, I remember my husband giving several pups their first breath by covering his mouth over the pup's entir nose and mouth. Yes, if you are going to have a litter - there are many things you can do to help. The mom licking the pup is get circulation flowing and, also, get the ambiotic fluids off the pup, but many, especially first time bitches, need help to have their pups.


Yes, my little girl had the same thing. I had to take it from her and it was the hardest thing I have done in a very long time... She followed me around for a little over a month everywhere I went she went. She would just start whimpering out of nowhere. It will pass though, it's just a proccess



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