Member ChristmasAngelsMom had planned a litter of purebred Yorkies, and took her dog to be bred to a purebred male. Only two weeks later she sees her female Yorkie with a random male who snuck into her fenced yard. Now she’s worried her little Yorkie could be pregnant by two different males — possible, or not?
Veterinarian Bonnie Beaver weighs in with her expert answer that may surprise. “First, it is possible for a female dog to carry puppies that were sired by more than one male dog,” she says. But, it’s a complex issue. Beaver notes, “Only time will tell you if your Yorkie is actually pregnant and then if there is more than one puppy, or whether the two puppies might actually be from different fathers.”
Then there’s the opposite problem for member Gooseberrypatch, whose dog has never been bred, but thinks she has puppies! Her Doberman, Bella, has adopted all of her toys and thinks they’re her “pups.”
Dr. Beaver comes to the rescue again with an explanation, “Bella is going through a false pregnancy. This is almost normal in unspayed female dogs and has to do with how her hormones are controlled during pregnancy.”
