Puppy Birth

Dogs birth behaviors are related to wolfs because dogs were domesticated from the gray wolf thousands of years ago. In the wild - female wolves eat the newborn's placenta which provides a valuable meal when she is unable to hunt while caring for her pups! The mother will clean the pups by licking which stimulates them to urinate and defecate by licking the genital region. She swallows all of their excretions, keeping the den clean and odor-free.