Question:
My puppy likes to suck my thumb, sometimes up to six times a day. Is this normal? She seems to get great satisfaction from it. Should I stop her from doing this? I should tell you I’ve had her since she was a day old.
Pauline Foster
Answer:
It sounds like your little puppy has displaced suckling behavior on to you. This is not surprising seeing as you have hand reared her. She probably gets comfort out of this behaviour, just like a child sucking its thumb. If this doesn’t bother you, I don’t see that it is a problem at all. I would suggest that you socialise her well with other dogs and people (after she is vaccinated) and get her used to lots of experiences so you don’t have a really insecure, timid dog.
Obedience training is also a good idea as the other extreme of dominance problems can also occur with hand reared pups, where there are no guidelines or boundaries for appropriate behaviour. If a pup’s behaviour is dominant or out of line, it’s usually stamped out by the mum and littermates. Because you are essentially seen as her mum, you need to help teach her and shape her behaviour.
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