new mommie

Question
QUESTION: My dog which is a brand new mommy, is burying herself under blankets, and pawing in a frenzied nature at the sheets.  She is not ripping them, though, and everything seems to have gone well with the birth, and all puppies.  Do you know why she is doing it?

ANSWER: She is making a nest. In the wild, she would have dug an entrance in the side of a bank or hill, and dug out her den 3-4 feet back into the hill.

You really should have her on papers of some sort rather than blankets as puppies could be lost under blankets and not be able to find their way out in order to nurse, or she might lay on them and smother them.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The puppies are not near blankets at all.  They are in a roomy pop-up indoor pen thing, and yes, we have only newspaper in there.  The mommy is jumping up on the bed to do the digging, but isnt trying to bring the puppies to the bed.  I thought it may have been instinctual, but was wondering why she is doing it in a different location.

Answer
Since she is a new mother, she should be in with the babies, keeping them warm and well-fed, not being allowed to run around the house looking for a new place to set up housekeeping. And that is exactly what she is doing... looking for a better place to keep her babies (although she might not have enough instinct to move them).

Keep her in the pen with the babies, letting her out only to potty, and hang a sheet around the pen for more privacy so that she will be more comfortable in there and settle in better. If she gets too stressed and upset, her milk could dry up early and you will be stuck handfeeding those puppies.