My dog won't feed her newborn puppies. What if she rejects them?

I'm so sorry that one of your puppies has died! It does sound like Jacky isn't a good mother if she isn't feeding them or licking them, and that could be due to her young age. It's never recommended to breed a female dog on her first heat because she won't be emotionally or physically mature enough to care for them properly as you are seeing with Jacky. Some dogs are also just poor mothers naturally, and that could be the case as well with her. You are going to have to raise these puppies yourself if you want them to have the best chance to survive, but please keep in mind that newborn puppies are very fragile. Care for them is intensive and there may be other ones who don't make it. I will put a link below to a website detailing how to raise orphan puppies. As for Jacky, I would be quite concerned she would repeat this behavior with future litters, so I would recommend having her spayed before her next heat. When you see this behavior from a female dog, it's not recommend to have them have additional litters. http://www.2ndchance.info/orphanpuppy.htm

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’ve seen it take up to a week for a new Mom to accept the puppies. Just calmly encourage her to lay with them. You can take a warm soft cloth after the feedings and stimulate them to urinate and defecate. And gently wipe them down two times per day until she starts doing it. If she never accepts the puppies I wouldn’t breed her again. I hope this helps! Good luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! How old are her puppies? If they are under 4 weeks then you will need to bottle feed the puppies. If they 3-4 weeks start offering canned puppy food along with bottle feeding and have them fully weaned by 5-6 weeks. Without forcing Cali to nurse them there aren't any other options. I would suggest not breeding her again and have her spayed since she is unwilling to continue to raise the puppies and this likely will be a repetitive behavior. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Some dogs are just not great mothers. A lot of times this behavior is repetitive with subsequent litters so I would consider spaying her after the puppies are weaned. She could start to improve in her habits but she may not. Sadly you will have to do more work if she won't cleaning them, etc. Hopefully she is at least letting them nurse. You can encourage her to lay in the whelping box with them more. It is ok for her to leave them for periods of time. Be sure Loki is eating high quality puppy food and that all of her mammary glands feel normal. Also be sure the puppies are having normal stool. I hope this helps and I wish Loki and her pups the best!

Yes, if Belle at one of her puppies, I would separate the rest. It could be that puppy was sick and that's why she ate it, or she could be a poor mother. Given the chance that she could be a poor mother, I would not mate her again and have her spayed as soon as her milk has dried up. You may need to bottle feed the puppies, and I can give you a link to the website that details how to do it. Keep in mind that raising them yourself is very labor intensive, just like having a newborn, and is a lot of hard work but that may be their best chance for survival if she has eaten one. http://www.2ndchance.info/orphanpuppy.htm

Unfortunately some dogs are poor mothers, and it's not normal that she bites them. The best thing to do is remove the puppies from Frickle to keep them safe, and you will have to bottle feed them yourself so they can survive. I will put a link below on how to raise newborn puppies, but please be aware that it is very time and labor intensive. You need to go out now and get some puppy formula. I recommend KMR, you can get it at a pet store or the grocery store. As for Frickle, I would have her spayed. When dogs are poor mothers, it's never recommend to breed them again, and she does not sound like a dog who should be bred again. http://www.2ndchance.info/orphanpuppy.htm

I am concerned that Bella won't stand up, and while dogs will spend lots of time with newborn puppies, she should leave to at least go to the bathroom. To be safe, I'd have her and her puppies checked out by a vet now. Best of luck.