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What to do if my new mother dog is aggressive after giving birth?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Female | 7 years and 5 months old

How to stop m9ther aggression??

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on February 4th, 2019

Dogs can become more protective when they have puppies. Unfortunately there is not really a way to stop this aggression as it is instinctual and hormonal. A better option is to keep strangers and other unknown persons and pets away from the new mother. Make sure she feels safe and that her litter is kept in a low traffic and quiet area. The more the mother is stressed, the more likely she will be to show aggression. This aggression will generally decrease as the puppies get older. If her aggression is to the point where she is dangerous or extremely disruptive, you may consider removing her from your breeding program and having her spayed. Always be positive towards her and never frustrated or angry. This is normal behavior for a mother. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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