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mothering toys

20 11:39:41

Question
I have a yorkie female that is 14 mths old she has been in heat several times during the year. I also have a male that is 6 mths old.The female has never had puppies.So the male is what I bought to breed latter with my female.
My question is why would she gather all the little toys and group them together and sit on them? She bites my male if he tries to get them. She is quiet serious.She looks as thought she is mothering the toys.It is quiet strange to see.She has never done this.The male has been with us since he was 6 wks old, so she is use to him.


Answer
Sheila,

Believe it or not there is nothing strange about it.  Sometimes Yorkies have a false pregnancy.  Her body told her she was pregnant and when the puppies did not arrive as expected she has made adjustments, hence the toys.

You could take her to the vet and get a hormone shot which would stop the behavior or just let it run its course.  Look at it this way, she is practicing for the future.  The fact that she won't let the male anywhere near the substitute babies shows that she will be a good mother and protect her pups from anything she perceives as a threat.

I have had this happen over the years and usually when the normal puppy span of nature passes she will loose interest in her "babies" and abandon them.  Until that time you should treat her babies as if they were real.  Tell her she is a good mother and how beautiful her babies are.  Don't let the male go near her babies so that when she has real puppies she will trust that you will not let anything happen to them.

Remember, nature tells her she has puppies and she must be treated as if she does if you want her to have a healthy outlook next time she has real puppies.  Do not take the fake puppies away from her because that would damage her psychologically.  Just give her plenty of love and praise and she will eventually tire of the fake puppies.

It's kinda cute if you think about it.  Take some pictures so you will be able to remember the time your Yorkie had toy puppies.

Sincerely,

Melinda

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