mother looking for dead puppy

Question
QUESTION: Hi  I have an English retriever that gave birth to 9 healthy puppies and 1 dead puppy.  She tried very hard to revive the puppy but despite her efforts it didn't survive.  We let her keep the puppy for a few minutes then took it away and disposed of it. Puppies were born Oct 12 - it is now the 17th and she is becoming more obsessed with looking for the dead puppy.  She digs in the bushes and under the porch - it's like she thinks she forgot it somewhere.  Any suggestions on how we should deal with this?  Today she insists of being outside in the backyard instead of in the puppy pen.  I hid a stuffed animal in one of the areas that she checks - she was very happy to find it - I can tell that it is not satisfying  her need to find her dead puppy.  I do not know what else to try.

ANSWER: Hi Delores

How is she with the rest of the pups?  

If she's digging in the bushes and under the porch that would be a sign that she actually may looking to move her pups to a "safer" place.

I would put her on a vitamin B complex (2 a day for a week, then down to 1), that or Bach's Rescue Remedy will help calm her nerves.

Good luck

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

QUESTION: Thanks for your answer.  The places she is digging are the places she was "preparing" or nesting just before she gave birth. She would have had her puppies in those places had she been given the choice.  I have a nice whelping box in a quiet area for her and her puppies. I'm quite certain she thinks she has left a puppy behind.  She is good with the rest of the puppies - attentive and caregiving.She is a first time mom.  I can certainly give the vitamin B complex a try.

Answer
You have to remember that dogs don't "think" like we do.

Even with the fancy, cleanest whelping boxes, some females will still want to move their pups after they are born.  It's nature.

One quick question, did she expel all the sacks and placenta's?  That can cause a female to become anxious.