Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 1/7/2006

Question
I have a Pug and she had her first litter of pups and she just does not want them to touch her. We have to hold her down and get her to nurse them. I have had to feed them whelping milk inbetween her feedings when I have no one here to help me hold her still. Should I be feeding them whelping milk or pet milk? What can I do about her additude toward her pups? If I push them on her she gets aggressive with them.

Answer
It is difficult to make a dog accept her pups.  That should be instinctive.  Continue the milk replacer until she accepts them or until they can eat a mush made of puppy food, which may take 3 weeks. She is obviously not a good mother and you should have her spayed so that she cannothave any more pups.