A dog owner’s quick reflexes saved a newborn puppy from a harrowing fate after the mother, a Shih-poo named Dutchess, attempted to eat her pup shortly after giving birth. The incident, shared by TikTok user Ciara (@notbetter_justdifferent), has gone viral, shedding light on a little-known but natural maternal behavior in dogs.
Ciara, who admitted that the pregnancy was unplanned due to a failed attempt at separating her dogs during heat, was shocked when Dutchess turned on one of her puppies. What began as the mother seemingly licking her newborn clean quickly escalated when Dutchess began trying to swallow the pup.
“I prayed she let it go because she was actively trying to swallow everything, as I’m trying to get it out without hurting the puppy,” Ciara told Newsweek. In the now widely circulated TikTok video, Ciara can be seen prying Dutchess’s mouth open and even placing her finger down her throat in a desperate bid to save the tiny pup.
Experts say this behavior, though disturbing, can happen for several reasons. According to a vet-reviewed article by Hepper, stress, inexperience, or the instinctive recognition of a weak pup can trigger this reaction. Sometimes, mothers mistakenly harm a pup while cleaning them or attempting to eat the placenta.
Sadly, though Ciara saved the puppy that day, the little runt faced ongoing rejection. Dutchess continued trying to push it away from the litter and even sat on it a week later, leading to its death. However, Ciara reported that the rest of the litter is now eight weeks old and thriving, with Dutchess stepping up as a caring and attentive mother to the surviving pups.
Reflecting on the experience, Ciara shared in her video caption: “I don’t care how much you research, you are never prepared to do stuff like this.”
While the moment was terrifying, it serves as an important reminder of the realities of canine birth and the vigilance required during those critical first days.