Today we are going to talk about dogs eating other dogs. There have been many cases in which dogs have eaten other dogs, but this is a rare occurrence. Occasionally, puppies can die due to unfortunate causes and it’s important to distinguish between intentional and conscious cannibalism.
When puppies are young, they are defenseless and susceptible to harm and disease. Despite their parents’ efforts, some puppies will not reach maturity, no matter how much care they are given.
Understanding where a dog’s behavior comes from requires an understanding of its history. Understanding the reasons behind modern dog behavior can be improved by considering the pressures and environments that led to it.
As well, eating one’s offspring is a form of filial cannibalism and can also be linked to specific medical conditions.
Before you scroll down to a more in-depth answer to this guide, you can check out these other dog-related questions: Are Dogs Cannibals? and Can My Dog Sleep With a Cone On?
Why Might a Mother Dog Eat Her Young?
Eating babies is morally wrong at its core, and most organisms do not have the ability to make moral decisions. Dogs simply don’t know that what they are doing is wrong or understand how severe their behavior may be.
A line of descent can also suffer from eating its offspring. A species’ chances of surviving are also adversely affected by cannibalism. As a result, a species is unlikely to exhibit both of these behaviors.
Especially for animals such as mammals that have a small litter or a few young every year, this is particularly true. Some simply feel overwhelmed and will even resort to cannibalism to reduce the amount of young they have to care for or to improve the chances of survival of some young with less competition.
This instinct tends to be triggered in specific circumstances that touch on the dogs’ base instincts regarding fight or flight, birth, and other survival aspects. As well as raising young, raising a dog also involves a lot of care per puppy, since dogs are only capable of producing relatively few litters.
If a dog has a large number of puppies, it develops an instinct to remove all the mouths she has to feed. A dog’s ability to reproduce will be selected by natural selection.
Therefore, if a dog is unable to care for its litter after giving birth, all those genes have reached an evolutionary dead end. To counteract the possibility of overbreeding, a dog’s behavior must include another aspect.
There can be brutal realities to life in the harsh world outside. Scarcity does not only apply to food. As a puppy parent, you must take care of yourself as well as your litter. Dogs cannot take care of themselves or feed a large number of puppies at a time.
Some dogs may kill their weaker offspring at an early age if they are sick or showing signs of weakness so that the stronger ones have more resources and time to survive.
Unfortunately, removing these puppies could give the rest of the dogs a better chance of avoiding attacks from other animals, as weak puppies are more likely to be preyed upon by predators.
Unfortunately, puppies appear to be prey to dogs due to their profile. As soon as a dog hits puberty and has its first heat, it is generally not advisable to allow them to become pregnant.
Puppies appear as prey because they are small, move quickly, and make high-pitched sounds. As a result of stress and acting on instinct, an inexperienced mother may accidentally attack them.
Lastly, a mother can become hostile to her puppies due to several medical reasons. Healthy, happy puppies cannot be raised if milk production is impaired. A mother dog may even avoid feeding her puppies due to painful lactation conditions.
Dogs sometimes engage in cannibalism unintentionally. A dam has to bite off a sac containing her newborn pups after giving birth. She will then be able to free her puppies. There are times, however, when things go wrong. She might bite her own puppy as she rips the sac open in haste or confusion.
Furthermore, dams eat their placenta after delivery, whether before or after birth. During pregnancy, they lack nutrients, so this process helps them replenish them. However, puppies often die before they are born in the womb. Often, mother dogs are unaware that the afterbirth that they consume is actually their dead babies.
Dogs sometimes engage in cannibalism unintentionally. A dam has to bite off a sac containing her newborn pups after giving birth. She will then be able to free her puppies. There are times, however, when things go wrong. If she is in a hurry or confused, she might bite her own puppy during the process of opening the sac.
Additionally, dams are accustomed to eating their placenta for several days after delivery. It is a crucial procedure that allows them to replenish their nutritional reserves during pregnancy. In many cases, puppies die before they are born in the womb. Mother dogs may not even realize that the afterbirth they consume is actually their deceased children in such cases.
Cannibalism in Dogs – How To Prevent It?
All dogs are different, as every dog owner knows. Even though science says this behavior is extremely rare, some dogs can have neurotic personalities and behave unpredictably. Dog cannibalism may occur in unexpected situations that were not anticipated.
It becomes apparent, however, that there are many preventable factors that will minimize the possibility of cronyism, especially when we consider cannibalism in dams.
Check Genetics
A dam’s aggressive behavior towards her young is extremely rare; if it occurs, it will most often occur during the dam’s first litter. A dam has been known to be cannibalistic and aggressive towards her young in some cases, however. There is a genetic predisposition to cronyism in this mother.
Give Them Space
Overcrowded dogs and dogs suffering from infections or illness are more likely to commit cannibalism. Safe, hygienic, and spacious whelping environments should be provided for all litters.
Monitor The Mother For Mastitis
Mothers may resort to cannibalism when they are in extreme pain. Postpartum dams are most likely to suffer from mastitis, which can be very painful.
A hot and painful inflammation of the breast tissue is referred to as mastitis, and both humans and dogs can experience it. Breastfeeding mammals are most likely to develop mastitis, but non-breasting females, as well as males, may suffer from it. The disease can cause female dogs to refuse to eat, reject their puppies, or even cannibalize them if they are chronically ill.
Make Sure Mom is Healthy Before Delivery
Mutations in maternal characteristics may be caused by a chemical imbalance in dogs. Hypothesized causes of this altered behavior are low oxytocin levels and low blood lipids. Twenty dams of the same breed were examined.
Of these, fifteen were found to have a history of maternal cannibalism, and fifteen had none. Cannibal mothers were found to have low oxytocin levels and too few blood lipids, according to the researchers.
Would a Dog Eat a Dead Dog?
A dog who lives in a pack will often see the death of a family member. In the wild as well as in pets, this is a common occurrence. If a dog does try to bite the dead dog’s body, it can be interesting to see what their reaction is. Is a dead dog likely to be eaten by a living dog?
It is not uncommon for dogs to eat other dogs when they are hungry. In the wild, many dogs will succumb to this instinct when they see fresh meat. Many dogs will simply sniff around the body, and then leave it alone.
Depending on the dog’s feelings when it sees the dead body, this will differ on a number of variables Hunger will be a major factor. An unfed dog dies after a long period without eating. Hunger is taking over in this case, and the dog’s body will be consumed as a result.
In addition to dog owners, this also occurs. The dog will eat humans if it is hungry, as humans are also fresh sources of meat.
Dogs will dig through another dog’s dead body if they are hungry and want to eat. When it comes to pets at home, making sure your dog is well-fed is essential.
Will Wild Dogs Eat Each Other?
Hunting is the nature of wild dogs. Fresh meat is what they seek when hunting other animals. Wild dogs will take advantage of other prey animals in the wild since it’s their biology to do so. The same instinct may manifest itself occasionally when dealing with dead dogs.
Seeing a wild dog eat a dead dog may be an indication that their instinct has overtaken them to the point that they need to eat a little bit. People will eat more or less depending on how hungry they feel. Depending on the circumstances.
Why Did My Dog Eat My Other Dog?
It may have been an act of hunger or dominance on the part of your dog to eat your other dog. As wolves and dogs share a common evolutionary past, dogs have a genetic lineage from them. It can be expected that instincts and impulses originating from both dogs’ and wolves’ brains will still play an important role in determining their behavior since genes create their brains.
As the natural state of the living world does not include farms and food abundance, it is impossible for them to predict what their future may hold. You must always be on the lookout for food when you are uncertain about where your next meal will come from.
The energy requirements of mammals are high. In order to survive, the organism needs to maintain homeostasis. A specific temperature is needed to run the cells in the body, and energy is needed to power the muscles.
Why do Dogs Eat Other Dogs’ Puppies?
Often, dogs eat puppies from other dogs out of jealousy. There are many reasons why a dog might want to eliminate another dog’s bloodline or get rid of the bloodline of another dog to improve its own genetics. In addition to killing and eating another dog’s puppy, some dogs will do it, whether they are hungry or do not have any other food available to them.
If you find this guide, “Dogs Eating Other Dogs – But How Rare Is It,” helpful, you can check out these other dog-related questions answered by our team at We Love Doodles:
- Why Does My Dog Bite My Cat’s Neck?
- Why Does My Dog Keep Sniffing My Legs?
- Why Does My Dog Lick My Hair?
You can learn more about your dog’s eating by watching “My Dog WON’T EAT Their Food 🐶 What to Do About It” down below:
Garrett loves animals and is a huge advocate for all Doodle dog breeds. He owns his own Goldendoodle named Kona. In addition, he volunteers at the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, where he fosters dogs and helps animals. Garrett enjoys writing about Doodles and believes that dogs can teach humans more about how to live than humans can teach a dog.
Why Trust We Love Doodles?
At We Love Doodles, we’re a team of writers, veterinarians, and puppy trainers that love dogs. Our team of qualified experts researches and provides reliable information on a wide range of dog topics. Our reviews are based on customer feedback, hands-on testing, and in-depth analysis. We are fully transparent and honest to our community of dog owners and future owners.