Why did my dog do this???

[freedomstarr]

Hi, I am new here, and I was wondering this: My female dog had a litter of 5 pups, (she is a pound puppy and her pups are mutts). She had the pups about 12 weeks ago and 2 weeks ago she took them out for a walk, we live on a farm and they have full run of our fields. Well she came back and only one pup made it back that day. 24 hours later 2 others returned. Well two days ago I get a call that one of our pups are a mile away at a neighboring farm, this one is skinny. The mother would not take him back, and so I kept him in the house to feed. He would not eat or drink and later I found out that he had parvo from being out (that is what the vet said), so we decided to put him down. The 5th pup is still missing and the vet thinks that he might have gotten parvo and never made it. Now I am just wondering why the mother leaves her pups. Is that normal weening for dogs??? She kept 2 of her pups from her last litter and the others were ignored until adopted out. Now she only has two left since one was adopted out today, but I dont want her to abandon them too. Please all the advice given is greatly needed, thanks.

[BabyElephant]

If I'm reading your post correctly you are saying that the puppies are 12 weeks old and they are not yet weaned? You should have been helping her to wean the puppies, they should not be feeding from the mother at all at this age. She has probably had enough of them if they are still trying to feed from her now.

Have the puppies had any vaccinations yet? They should have been started on their vaccinations by now so that would have minimized the risk of getting parvo. Parvo is very infectious, by having the puppy in the house with parvo you are putting all your other pups at risk.

Anything could have happened for the mother to have left her pups in the field, they could have wondered off and she couldn't find them, they could have decided to leave her of their own accord - anything - you are lucky that you got the other two back, I am sorry that the other puppy is still missing. I would ensure that she is not able to have the run of the fields when she has puppies or better still ensure she doesn't have puppies in future.

[whimzikal]

I think mother nature kicked in here. At 12 weeks it is 'naturally' time to leave mum.
It's kind of like with us....if you don't boot them out of the nest and MAKE them make it on thier own, they will hang around and mooch forever
They should be weaned by now. (weeks ago) Anyway, many cats & dogs do this when thier brood is old enough. It's how nature works. I think had they been weaned and mum had them around as pals not kiddos, she would be more tolerant of them hanging around when they are older
Personally, I give my son till his 18th birthday, then we go for the walk LOL
JUST KIDDING GUYS

[Fran27]

I don't get why you breed mutts AND leave them outside where they can obviously so easily get lots and die???? And you don't give their vaccinations either? Talk about irresponsible.

[tessa_s212]

Fran27, perhaps she recieved the dog already pregnant?

Another thing is if the puppies were sick and mother knew it she probably just purposely abondanded them.

[barnjess]

[HarveyMoo]

I don't think that's very fair Fran27, we do not know all the facts.

[Dax]

Freedom - I think it's time you consider spaying this female. Now that Parvo has been brought into your house you will have an increased mortality rate for any new pups.

Secondly, you do not sound like you are prepared for looking after the mother and pups so they are at greater risk. I have to wonder if you put down special puppy food to facilitate weaning.

and lastly, your dog as a mutt breeding to other mutts adds nothing to the dog population but numbers.

[Fran27]

Originally Posted by HarveyMoo

I don't think that's very fair Fran27, we do not know all the facts.

There's not much more to know that to see he left the dog and some 12 weeks old totally free in the nature. There is no excuse for that.

Plus, it seems it's not the first time he bred her either.

[HarveyMoo]

I prefer not to jump down peoples throats before knowing all the facts. Freedomstarr obviously needs some advice re raising pups and there are plenty of people on here that could give it him/ her. Obviously the best thing would have been for the pups not to have happened but they have, it would have been best for the pups not to have been given so much freedom, but they were and the ultimate price has been paid, it would have been better if freedomstarr knew about weaning etc, but she obviously didn't. These things can't be changed, all we can do is give her help and advice to make the situation better.