Do Male Dogs Know Their Puppies? You’ll Be Surprised to Learn

We can’t exactly ask if a male dog knows who their puppies are. Therefore, it’s hard to answer this with tons of certainty. However, based on what we do know, male dogs don’t generally recognize their puppies. They lack parental instincts, which means that they don’t participate in the care or rearing of their puppies.

For this reason, there is a good chance they just don’t know who their puppies are! There is also the possibility that they do know who their puppies are, but they may not express any parental instincts.

Let’s take a deeper look at why male dogs (probably) don’t know their puppies.

Why Don’t Male Dogs Know Their Puppies?

Again, this sort of behavior is very hard to study. However, there are a few possibilities that might explain a male dog’s lack of instincts:

That said, none of these reasons mean that a male dog won’t exhibit any affection towards puppies. In many cases, they may be playful towards puppies, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that they know the puppies are their puppies. A well-socialized dog is more likely to exhibit good social skills around puppies.

Many male dogs are very good with puppies and can help socialize them at an early age. However, it’s important to supervise any interaction between a male dog and new puppies to ensure safety. Otherwise, accidents can occur.

Do Male Dogs Know When Their Puppies Are Born?

Most modern breeders separate pregnant females from other dogs when they are in labor and for the weeks following birth. This time is very sensitive for both the female and puppies, so the presence of other dogs often does more harm than good.

Furthermore, unlike humans who understand pregnancy stages, dogs rely solely on instincts and physical cues. There is no way for a male dog to recognize that the female is in labor unless the male dog is with the female. Plus, even if the male was with the female, there is a good chance he would not know what was going on.

(Like many humans, the distress of the female may even frighten him.)

The female dog will typically exhibit behavioral changes before giving birth, but we don’t know if the male dog picks up on these. Pheromones may also be present, but no research has shown that males respond to these hormones in any particular way.

Of course, there are some cues that the male may pick up on that make it pretty clear a litter of puppies has been born. For instance, if he hears and sees the puppies, then he’ll obviously know that the puppies are there.

Do Male Dogs Get Attached to Puppies?

Male dogs don’t generally form attachments to their puppies the way humans do. They don’t have strong parental instincts, so they don’t attempt to care for or protect the puppies in any way. However, this doesn’t mean they can’t develop a bond with the puppies the same way they bond with any other dog.

Many dogs like puppies, for instance. They may be particularly gentle, which may stem from an older instinct. However, this doesn’t mean that the male dog is particularly attached to puppies. Some male dogs may try to play with the puppies, as well, especially as they become older and more energetic.

Some male dogs just don’t get along well with puppies. Sometimes, the puppies may be too energetic and “annoying.” Other times, the male dog may become jealous of the attention the puppies are getting.

Either way, it’s important to supervise closely, even if the interaction seems to be going well. Puppies can quickly become injured by larger dogs. Puppies also don’t have very good social skills and may be unable to get away if the interaction turns sour.

If you want your male dog to interact well with puppies, socialization and training are important. Don’t assume everything will go well just because the puppies are genetically related to the dog. Often, that doesn’t mean much when it comes to interactions.

How Do Male Dogs React to Puppies?

Male dogs can react to puppies in tons of different ways. Again, it depends a lot on a dog’s personality. Here’s a quick breakdown of some potential possibilities:

Very young puppies tend to trigger a nurturing response in other dogs, including some males. In many cases, males just know to be gentle with puppies. However, as puppies get older and more energetic, play becomes the primary interaction.

Final Thoughts

There isn’t any evidence that male dogs know when puppies are genetically related to them. Therefore, it’s very likely that male dogs just see puppies as puppies, not necessarily their puppies.

How male dogs interact with puppies depends on the exact dog and situation. Sometimes, male dogs may be nurturing and gentle with puppies. They may play with older puppies well. Other times, they may be worried about resource competition, anxious, or fearful. Socialization can help older dogs get along with puppies, but there is still a big individual variance.

Featured Image Credit: WilleeCole Photography, Shutterstock

The post Do Male Dogs Know Their Puppies? You’ll Be Surprised to Learn appeared first on PangoVet.