# Mother chihuahua behavior



## askformore (Oct 9, 2008)

Hello to all chihuahua forum members,
My chi just gave birth to three pups on monday, and I've been busy watching them closely since. Last night I put the pups into a whelping box so she can go in and take care of them, but it seems that she does not like the box she went in and pick them up by their tiny arms and legs, and jump back out to her "safe" place. There is one in particular that she keep picking up by the arm and leg and carry it around, now this really scare me a lot, I assume that the mother knows what she is doing, and the pup seems fine.. but I still want to be reassure that it's safe she keep carrying it around by the arms and legs? It won't break or get dislocated? Me seeing the 3 days old pup hanging on one leg or arm getting carry around freak me out, anyone with knowledge on this can explain would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot.


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## rubia (Jul 3, 2008)

I don't know anything ...but what if you just make her a bed with the pups where she wants it so she isn't moving her wee family around by their limbs.

I wouldn't want to upset a mum with brand new babies.


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## TinyGiant (Jan 20, 2010)

Awww I don't know hun but I always thought they grab the loose skin by the neck to carry them around, that doesn't sound right.

I like the pp suggestion of just putting them where she wants for now.


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

Welcome to the board!

I cant help you either but maybe you could google some information about raising a litter so you will be prepared for anything that can happen. I know breeding takes tons of research. I am sure someone will be able to pop on and give you some advice as well as some good links to read?


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## Kioana (Mar 1, 2005)

that's not normal she may be a first time mom and not sure where her safe place is and may not like where you have them.

I had a dog once that would move her pups to where she felt was better so i just moved them where she wanted them to go and she'd stop moving them 

Some times you have mothers that will OVER mother the pups becuase they aren't sure what to do , i had another female that would overly clean the pups and there bottoms would be come red so i had to let her "umm oh k they are clean!" 

i have a friend here , who might post, her female would move her pups as well or take her sisters pups. so you just have to watch her and when she does it tell her to stop 

oh another thing you said there is one that she carries more than the other, watch out for that one because usually it's something with it and she wants it removed, if she rejects that one then it won't be long for that one.

good luck but also follow up with google and a chat with your vet


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## OurCheekyChihuahuas (Nov 18, 2009)

Hello ! if shes moving the puppy put the bed where she wants to be


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## Ory&C (Mar 20, 2005)

What is your mentor saying? I assume you're new to breeding, so you must have a mentor.... he/she will be able to help the most . I am not a breeder, but have loads of friends who are and this does not sound completely normal.


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## dmccaughan (Sep 26, 2009)

I know when Rubi had her pups, she didnt carry them at all. She wouldnt pick any of them up in any way shape or form, if we moved them, she just went to where we moved them and laid down there, but for the most part, we kept them in 1 spot anyways. We had a nice box we used with a blanket in it for her, kept the pups in there and she was fine with it. Once they got a little bigger, we switched to a bigger box, with a dog bed and blanket in it. Now they are in a kiddie/wading pool, with newspaper and a dog bed, toys, food, water, etc. So I dont think carrying them like that is normal. Never heard of any animal picking up their young that way, even my rats use the back of the neck method.


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## eagleschihuahuas (Nov 27, 2009)

dmccaughan said:


> Now they are in a kiddie/wading pool, with newspaper and a dog bed, toys, food, water, etc.



This is such a good idea and i suppose you have one with the sides high enough they can't jump out and what a really hygeinic thing to use as you can wipe the bottom over. I am waiting for 2 litters a week today they are due so im sure i will be on here asking loads of questions lol. And yes i do have a mentor but like to get the opinion of other people as well and nice to share it all with you lot....
I will be taking loads of pics and daily updates.....


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## dmccaughan (Sep 26, 2009)

Well, they couldnt get out of it till I posted that this morning, then Joy, our adventurous one, managed to climb over the side using the bed as a ladder! LOL


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## askformore (Oct 9, 2008)

Thanks everyone for the insight, yes she is a first time mother. I think the reason for her to keep picking up this one particular pup is because she is scared that we take the pup away from her. That pup first day does not nurse at all it just sleeps all day, so i was worried brought it to the vet and they gave her some milk through a syringe. And i go home and continue that process, now she is nursing normally, yes this is the first time that I bred my dogs, I read and learn a lot of information of what to do but never saw anything about how the mother carries her pups. So maybe she doesn't know how to carry it, it look kind of disturbing how she carry and move this pup like a rag doll, so I have to go on the net and ask experience people. So now i will try to stop her when she does it. She still do it, but now I left them in a place where she feel comfortable so she does it less now, only when the pup crawl away then she pick it up by it's limbs. Never knew breeding was tough, but hopefully I will go through this with them being ok, again thanks, any more info would be great also.


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

Do you own the male that you bred her to? Just wondering since the male has patella luxation and a retained testicle when you posted about him before.

http://www.chihuahua-people.com/showthread.php?t=34462

Did you know that those are genetic traits that will be transmitted to the puppies?


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## askformore (Oct 9, 2008)

yeah thats what one of the vet said to me, he concluded that he had luxating patella and retained testicle, but i ask other vets and they say you can't really determined it because they are just to young, you have to wait until they are a bit older. And guess what, my males testicle came down after a while it was ok, and his legs are fine went to the vet and check nothing wrong. Sometimes I'm in doubt with that first vet that I went to, maybe he knows I'm a new pet owner and try to make some money.. I never came back to him since that experience.


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## TinyGiant (Jan 20, 2010)

So the male you bred her too is only about 5-6 months old?


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## Vivid (Jul 23, 2009)

:nthink: Something sounds weird here.


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

So I realize this is a bit late, but I have noticed two mama chihuahuas of my breeder do this as well. She said it made her really nervous at first but the puppies seem just fine. Although as puppies got older, they certainly got displeased with it!


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