My friends dog thinks a toy puppy is her real puppy?

Question

My friend is 5 months pregnant and her dog ( she is 1 year and 4 months old ) has a stuffed animal puppy toy . The dog thinks she is the stuffed animals mom . She licks it clean ,make sure the toy puppy is warm at night ,she growls if anyone gets close to the toy, she carries the toy EVERYWHERE she goes ,she dont like anyone petting her anymore. She spends here day being a mom to the toy.She is not spayed . Does it have anything to do with my friend being pregnant ?

Answer 1

If she was in heat recently, she may have had a false pregnancy and has adopted the toy. I saw a show where the dog adopted the cordless phone.

Answer 2

No-but the fact that she is not spayed does. Animals can think they are pregnant when not and if she is not spayed am sure she goes into heat and the increase in her hormones will /can bring out the Mommy instincts in her. Spaying the dog will not only prevent her from having litters but also protects dogs from getting cancer-female dogs from getting Ovarian Cancer-(animals susceptible to the same kind of cancers as humans alsthough not all.)It also is not healthy for the dog to continuously go into heat and having a increse in the hormones with no pregnancy/birth to level them off naturally-can eventually make her through the years susceptible to illness and cancers But until she can get spayed(afterwards may lose interest in the puppy or keep as a comfort toy).no harm in her taking care of the puppy and may even be good for her for keeps her occupied. Happy Thanksgiving and wishes your friend have a very healthy baby

Answer 3

Don't think so.
I had a Scottish Terrier who acted the same at about 3 years of age. She cared for a small stuffed teddy bear for 2 weeks before I took it away from her.
She soon forgot it and I had her spayed shortly afterwards and she did it again!. This time I let her care for tiny stuffed allligator ( LOL) for about 4 weeks until she forgot about it herself.
A strange thing to watch a dog go through but my vet said that it is quite common and just not to let it go on too long and cuddle her more than usual.
Cheers!

Answer 4

My dog can't have any kind of soft toys. She chews them up within hours. Even the Kong's - I have tried them twice and paid like 30 bucks for each. When the treat inside ran out she starting getting pieces off the Kong. I buy my dog these sterilized bones filled with stuff. It takes my dog days to get all the stuff out. When she does get it all out, she just chews on the bone. I get these bones at Pet smart

Answer 5

Probably Dogs are very intuitive about their humans bodies. The dog wants to be a Mom too

Answer 6

When the dog is eating or not with him anymore hide the toy. That is what happen to my dads dog too

Answer 7

no, female dogs often do this. I have a 4 yrs old Pomeranian and I bought her a toy after Halloween. She thinks its her baby, does all the stuff you just mentioned.
I'm not pregnant, I'm 62 yrs old :)

Answer 8

Natural maternal instincts not having had litters of her own.. she has the incling to be a mother and might smell the changes in hormones of her female owner, The answer is a possible yes it could be both reasons.

Answer 9

It has nothing to do with your friend being pregnant; I've heard of dogs doing that. Is she complaining? It doesn't sound like a big deal.

Answer 10

I don't know but I have seen dogs behave "peculiarly" with stuffed animals. Had a dog that thought my stuffed dog was his girlfriend, which was hilarious, til he figured it out.

Peace.