Is it normal for Mom to bite her baby - YorkieTalk.com Forums

lmperez · 12-08-2009, 03:30 PM

I have one pup left out of 4. He is 13 weeks old and I am now letting him out to run around with mom and friends within a confined area. Mom will not let him move she uses her head to pin him to the floor or her paws. Then she bites his legs or his ears and then she pulls him and makes him cry. He is not agressive towards her or even playing with her for her to think she needds to discipline him. all he wants to do is play with toys and she just won't let him. His sister came to visit on Sunday and mom did not bother her she just would lick and love on her. She has always beenthis way with him more agressive and more loving to the other 3. Is this normal?

spiritwings1202 · 12-08-2009, 03:32 PM

awe poor lil guy! I hope someone buys him soon and gives him lots of lovin!!

JeanieK · 12-08-2009, 03:34 PM

She is teaching him, unless she is hurting him don't interfere. They teach them to respect the pecking order and how to be a good pack member. He probably has an attitude that she feels needs correcting

tjdmom · 12-08-2009, 04:39 PM

I agree with Jeniek, she probably senses something about his personality that you just don't see or pick up on. As long as she's not hurting him, I think it's fine.

jackson25 · 12-08-2009, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeanieK

She is teaching him, unless she is hurting him don't interfere. They teach them to respect the pecking order and how to be a good pack member. He probably has an attitude that she feels needs correcting

bjh · 12-08-2009, 04:54 PM

I agree that she is teaching him that she is dominate over him. I don't necessarily agree that it is a good to ignore the behavior because it could make him sly and submissive in the long run. I don't know if they are together all the time but it would probably be good if the pup had some free time away from mom so he can play and explore without being intimidated.

lmperez · 12-08-2009, 07:01 PM

She is not with him all the time but I will have to make sometime for him without her. It is funny because she did not treat his sisters this way and one of the girls seemed to be very dominate. He does not seem very dominate but rather whimpy. Maybe she is trying to toughen him up

TatumsMom · 12-09-2009, 07:12 AM

This was a very interesting thing to watch with our recent (and first) Australian Shepherd litter. At a certain age, mom starts "teaching" them manners and such. We kept one pup out of the litter (now about 3.5 months old) and when we let Tatum (our Yorkie) out to potty and Blaze (the pup) tries to jump at her and get her to play, Stormie (mom) comes and steers him away from her so she can go do her business. Sometimes if Tatum barks real hard at him, Stormie comes and grabs him by the scruff of the neck and pulls him away. I do intervene when she has been "fussing at him" for a while. I get them to separate and walk away. It's hard to really know sometimes if there is a real cause for the mom to be doing this but for the most part, you just have to trust their mommy instincts and let them reprimand the pup when they think it's necessary.

chachi · 12-09-2009, 07:34 AM

This is interesting because My cat had a litter of kittens and she started biting on the one lone surving kitten when it was about 4 weeks old. I read on the internet that it is normal and you should allow it to happen because the mother is discipliing it. Now when you pet the kitten it bites your fingers and bites alot so I dont agree with letting it go on.

bjh · 12-09-2009, 08:50 AM

Socialization is not always as simple as people think. It think it is the hardest part of raising a litter. I have noticed that pups often pick up traits of their mom so if mom is too rough with the pups then the pups can grow up being too rough with other dogs. An alpha female can give her pups an alpha personality or it could go the other way and they could be too submissive. It is hard to understand what makes one pup really shy and submissive and one outgoing and aggressive, even though they are both raised exactly the same. The same thing with human children. We can raise all our children the same, with the same discipline and same values but sometimes our children just end up being totally different from one another. What works for one might not work for another.

dbeach · 12-09-2009, 11:25 AM

This is an interesting thread

I have three females, the youngest, is the daughter of the middle female...and the smallest of the three. She is spayed, the largest oldest female is spayed, and the mother dog, is not spayed.

That being said--the youngest, smallest female is definitely the most dominant! (pictured in my avatar). She definitely lets the other two know it too..for instance, she will save her cookie treat, wait till the others come near, and give them "heck" for trying to even think about stealing it..taunting them even!

Glad my own three human children didn't play this game!!! (at least i didn't know about it

)

Debbie
Tasha, Tea' & Katie

12-08-2009, 03:30 PM	#1
lmperez YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: USA Posts: 600	Is it normal for Mom to bite her baby I have one pup left out of 4. He is 13 weeks old and I am now letting him out to run around with mom and friends within a confined area. Mom will not let him move she uses her head to pin him to the floor or her paws. Then she bites his legs or his ears and then she pulls him and makes him cry. He is not agressive towards her or even playing with her for her to think she needds to discipline him. all he wants to do is play with toys and she just won't let him. His sister came to visit on Sunday and mom did not bother her she just would lick and love on her. She has always beenthis way with him more agressive and more loving to the other 3. Is this normal?

12-08-2009, 03:32 PM	#2
spiritwings1202 Pixie and Daisy Donating Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: CT USA Posts: 2,680	awe poor lil guy! I hope someone buys him soon and gives him lots of lovin!! __________________ Proud Mom of Daisy and Pixie

12-08-2009, 03:34 PM	#3
JeanieK Donating YT 12K Club Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Council Bluffs Iowa Posts: 12,552	She is teaching him, unless she is hurting him don't interfere. They teach them to respect the pecking order and how to be a good pack member. He probably has an attitude that she feels needs correcting Last edited by JeanieK; 12-08-2009 at 03:35 PM.

12-09-2009, 07:12 AM	#8
TatumsMom Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: TX Posts: 2,799	This was a very interesting thing to watch with our recent (and first) Australian Shepherd litter. At a certain age, mom starts "teaching" them manners and such. We kept one pup out of the litter (now about 3.5 months old) and when we let Tatum (our Yorkie) out to potty and Blaze (the pup) tries to jump at her and get her to play, Stormie (mom) comes and steers him away from her so she can go do her business. Sometimes if Tatum barks real hard at him, Stormie comes and grabs him by the scruff of the neck and pulls him away. I do intervene when she has been "fussing at him" for a while. I get them to separate and walk away. It's hard to really know sometimes if there is a real cause for the mom to be doing this but for the most part, you just have to trust their mommy instincts and let them reprimand the pup when they think it's necessary. __________________ ~ Angie

12-09-2009, 07:34 AM	#9
chachi I Love My Yorkies Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 37,147	This is interesting because My cat had a litter of kittens and she started biting on the one lone surving kitten when it was about 4 weeks old. I read on the internet that it is normal and you should allow it to happen because the mother is discipliing it. Now when you pet the kitten it bites your fingers and bites alot so I dont agree with letting it go on. __________________ Chachi's & Jewels Mom Jewels http://www.dogster.com/?132431 Chachi http://www.dogster.com/?132427

12-08-2009, 04:39 PM	#4
tjdmom Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: upstate ny Posts: 5,847	I agree with Jeniek, she probably senses something about his personality that you just don't see or pick up on. As long as she's not hurting him, I think it's fine.

12-08-2009, 04:54 PM	#6
bjh Donating YT 5000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southeast Texas Posts: 7,959	I agree that she is teaching him that she is dominate over him. I don't necessarily agree that it is a good to ignore the behavior because it could make him sly and submissive in the long run. I don't know if they are together all the time but it would probably be good if the pup had some free time away from mom so he can play and explore without being intimidated.

12-08-2009, 07:01 PM	#7
lmperez YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: USA Posts: 600	She is not with him all the time but I will have to make sometime for him without her. It is funny because she did not treat his sisters this way and one of the girls seemed to be very dominate. He does not seem very dominate but rather whimpy. Maybe she is trying to toughen him up

12-09-2009, 08:50 AM	#10
bjh Donating YT 5000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southeast Texas Posts: 7,959	Socialization is not always as simple as people think. It think it is the hardest part of raising a litter. I have noticed that pups often pick up traits of their mom so if mom is too rough with the pups then the pups can grow up being too rough with other dogs. An alpha female can give her pups an alpha personality or it could go the other way and they could be too submissive. It is hard to understand what makes one pup really shy and submissive and one outgoing and aggressive, even though they are both raised exactly the same. The same thing with human children. We can raise all our children the same, with the same discipline and same values but sometimes our children just end up being totally different from one another. What works for one might not work for another.

12-09-2009, 11:25 AM	#11
dbeach Donating YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 331	Interesting topic! This is an interesting thread I have three females, the youngest, is the daughter of the middle female...and the smallest of the three. She is spayed, the largest oldest female is spayed, and the mother dog, is not spayed. That being said--the youngest, smallest female is definitely the most dominant! (pictured in my avatar). She definitely lets the other two know it too..for instance, she will save her cookie treat, wait till the others come near, and give them "heck" for trying to even think about stealing it..taunting them even! Glad my own three human children didn't play this game!!! (at least i didn't know about it) Debbie Tasha, Tea' & Katie