How Do Father Dogs React to Their Puppies?
Every male dog is different from their puppies. Reactions range from affectionate to aggressive, which makes it crucial to be careful with their first meeting. There are several traits that father dogs exhibit when meeting their puppies for the first time:
Some dogs react with jealousy towards new puppies because of the attention they garner from their owners. Even the mother is often showered with more affection (after all, she just gave birth or is actively nursing). This can lead to direct or indirect aggression on behalf of a male towards the mother and pups.
In a best-case scenario, jealousy is exhibited as avoidance. Father dogs may simply remove themselves from the situation or avoid interacting with the puppies altogether. Be sure to give him love and attention if he’s pouty to ensure he knows he’s still a valued member of the family.
Some dogs exhibit jealousy by physically interfering with their interactions with the puppies. This behavior can be dangerous. Even if they don’t intend to harm the puppies, they can do so by stepping on them. Mother dogs are very protective of their babies and will have no problem lashing out with aggression at a male dog that gets too close.
There is also the possibility of the father dog acting out aggressively towards the puppies and attacking them. An adult dog can easily kill or seriously injure puppies.
Without paternal instincts drawing them to their puppies, many father dogs are simply indifferent to them. They ignore them or have no interest in interacting with them whatsoever. While this seems somewhat cruel to us, it’s the most common reaction for father dogs and one that doesn’t put the puppies in danger.
While it’s not common, some father dogs will react lovingly to their puppies and assist in their care. They can be found cuddling with their puppies, cleaning them, or even gently carrying them around in their mouths. Owners who have experienced this behavior often see it as proof that father dogs recognize their pups, but it’s not necessarily true.
Dogs who are naturally more affectionate and loving by nature may simply recognize the puppies’ vulnerability and act accordingly. Rather than a case of parental instincts, it’s usually a result of an empathetic dog.
Do Father Dogs Have Paternal Instincts?
It’s generally recognized that male dogs don’t recognize their own puppies and that they do not harbor paternal instincts. Their paternal instincts are generalized rather than specific to their own litters.
Dogs recognize puppies as immature pack members and treat them differently than adult dogs. Even male dogs can become protective of puppies, but this behavior isn’t specific to puppies they have fathered. While wild dogs, like wolves, exhibit paternal behavior, domestic dogs don’t. This is likely the result of decades of human intervention in dogs’ lives and breeding.
As humans have actively intervened in dogs’ breeding processes and raising litters of puppies, male dogs aren’t kept around for puppies’ birth and rearing. They’re not required to provide protection or hunt for food. Neither are they needed to teach puppies their role within the pack hierarchy. These jobs are completed by human owners.
Since male dogs aren’t actively integrated into their families post-breeding, some male dogs act rough or aggressive around their puppies. Others naturally adopt pups into their pack. There’s no way to know how a male dog will react to his litter, so it’s best to introduce a father dog carefully.
How Do Male Dogs React To Their Puppies?
Every single dog is different, and will react differently towards its puppies.
Whilst some breeds are known to be gentler than others, you really cannot predict how a male dog will react to a litter of puppies, even when they are his own.
This is why you have to exercise caution when introducing a male dog, or a father dog with the new litter of puppies.
Some will be very loving and gentle, whereas others can become jealous, threatened or aggressive.
For instance, some stud dogs or father dogs can grow jealous of all of the care and attention the puppies are getting from the mother, or from others in the household, including you!
This can manifest itself through aggression, or destructive behavior as they try to regain your full attention.
In other cases, a jealous father dog may sulk a lot, and hide away somewhere, avoiding you and the new litter entirely.
If this is the case, then he may need a little bit of attention and head scratches.
Other stud dogs may try to get in between you and the puppies, and may clamber on top of them to get your attention.
This is not only dangerous for the puppies as they can be trampled, but the mother may also try to attack the father to protect her puppies.
You do not want a dog fight or any risk to come to you or the puppies, so keep the father dog away if this happens.
On the other hand, the father dog can feel completely indifferent to the puppies, will ignore them, and have no paternal bond to them whatsoever.
Many male dogs have no interest in rearing puppies, and will simply avoid them.
In very rare circumstances, a stud dog will care for the litter like the mother would.
They may sleep with the puppies, clean them, play with them and be very gentle towards them.
However, this does not mean that they know they are their father.
Dogs that react this way simply understand that puppies are small, vulnerable and in need of care.
They are very empathetic towards them, and will try to protect and keep them safe.
Do Father Dogs Know Their Own Puppies? A Guide To Male Dogs And Their Puppies
Your female dog just proudly gave birth to a litter of puppies. You keep waiting for the male dog to excitedly enter the fray and begin sniffing and licking at his pups, but it doesn’t happen. You’re wondering why. Do male dogs recognize their puppies?
Male dogs do not recognize or know their puppies. The dogs lack a paternal instinct, so any instances of kindness and affection towards the puppies from a male dog are purely coincidental. Some males can even react unfavorably to puppies, becoming jealous and aggressive.
In this guide, we’ll answer all your most burning questions about how male dogs react to a new litter of puppies that they sired. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll know what to expect out of a new father pup and whether he should be separated from his puppies.