jr_inoz Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 just wondering how long it takes a bitch to get over losing a litter. I thought my girl was getting better. She spent the first two weeks after her puppies were born dead by caesarean carrying around her toys, putting them on her bed, licking them and trying to feed them. After this, she stopped doing it all the time - just every now and then. It is now 6 weeks today and she picked up one of her toys again tonight, carried it around for awhile crying and then put it on her bed and licked it. Anyone have experience with this? She did this when she lost the litter before (at 7.5 weeks), but the behaviour stopped completely after 3 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Don't cosset her, take the toys away, feed her less and give her more exercise, she should have been over this behaviour long ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellz Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Agree with Miranda. I think you may be part of the problem there....not meaning that in a nasty way. Sometimes, through our actions, we reinforce the wrong messages with our dogs. If you are cossetting her and "sooking her up" you are giving her the message that it is ok to be like this. Act normally and treat her normally. The health ramifications are no longer. In the scheme of things, 6 weeks along after a litter, her body is probably starting to think about cycling again. Move along. PS. How many litters has she had vs how many has she actually lost? I'm not sure of your situation and I don't want to sound nasty but if she continually "loses" litters I personally would be thinking that there is a problem and things either need to be investigated pretty strenuously, or she needs to be retired from the breeding program. Bitches with breeding issues tend to, if they even manage to have puppies, produce bitches which have breeding issues. Not something that most people need in a breeding program. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aziah Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Don't cosset her, take the toys away, feed her less and give her more exercise, she should have been over this behaviour long ago. Totally agree, it's gone on far too long, you need implement the changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrinaJ Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 How heartbreaking for her to your special girl. I think you need to take the toys away now...poor girl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jr_inoz Posted April 1, 2012 Author Share Posted April 1, 2012 (edited) Don't cosset her, take the toys away, feed her less and give her more exercise, she should have been over this behaviour long ago. on increased exercise, and less food since her pregnancy ended. Definitely not being cosseted. And hasn't been. Will take away her toys though. She was progesterone supplemented throughout her pregnancy - and I know that coming off progesterone in humans causes depression. Suspect it may be the same for dogs. Ellz - her pregnancy loss is a long story - she has been extensively tested (including genetics and pathology being sent to the US) - with no clear answers. She has no genetic issues nor health issues that would have caused the problems. Reproductive specialists here can not say why she has problems. Wont be breeding her again. edited: - meant to add - kept her quarantined in the last stages of her pregnancy - wasn't taking any risks. She was then kept away from other dogs for the first 4 weeks after her pregnancy whilst we got pathology back as we didn't want to risk other dogs catching anything she may have had whilst we did extra tests. She has missed other dog company and suspect this might have been a contributing factor. She is much better now that she is out mixing with other dogs and back to her normal training routines etc. Just the odd occasion of carrying around a toy. Edited April 1, 2012 by jr_inoz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rysup Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 I have found the best way to get them past such a loss is to just go back to normal routines. Back with other dogs, not treated special in any way. Sorry for your loss - we've been through it too, its heart breaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts