My dog has adopted an alien..?

Question

Lately our dog,3 yrs old) has been carrying around this orange squeeky toy alien. If you tell her to go get her baby, she does. Last night it looked like she was trying to nurse it. What is going on?

Answer 1

Skyhoss has it -- if your girl isn't spayed, she may be having a false pregnancy. B itches will often "mother" their toys in this case.

A false pregnancy is usually caused by a hormonal imbalance. It will occur within the normal gestation period after a heat cycle (63 days). Has she become touchy/nervous? Started "denning" or hiding in a specific spot in your house? Any swelling of the mammary glands or milk production? These are all other signs.

In the case of a false pregnancy, you usually have to let them work it through their system. Because it's hormonal (and often hard on the b itch), the easiest way to eliminate it would be to have her spayed.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Your dog seems to be suffering from a behavior where she has replaced the exsistence of an actual offspring with that of an alien toy, has she ever been pregnant or is in heat? This might explain her strange behavior. I also suggest taking her to a veternarian if her behavior becomes harmful in any way to herself or your family members.

Answer 3

Since she's a girl, she could be satisfying an instinct to nurture. Animals have strong instincts that they just obey. Often they follow through with a substitute if the real thing isn't there. It's kind of like girls and dolls.

Answer 4

She might want to have pup's or misses ones that she had. That or shes satisfieng her nuturing instinct.
Happy Mothering

Answer 5

has she been spayed? if not she may be having a false pregnancy if she is and you are not going to breed her than get her spayed. if she is spayed then i would get her to your vet.