My baby girl is depressed since my 7 chicks hatched yesterday.

[Kentuckyrain]

So my baby girl, *18 month old Husky/Shepherd baby" has been depressed since my chicks hatched yesterday. I have the brooder in my mud room, and she has been laying/sleeping beside it, but it is not on ground level. She is hanging out near them, won't play or nothing. She even found an old tennis ball of hers,,, took it to "her area" near the chicks,, and is treating it like it is alive and a baby. She actually growled at me for coming near her/the ball. She is making funny sounds like the ball is ALIVE and she is protecting it.

Anyone know what the hell I am talking about, or what the heck she is doing/up too?

 

[sourland]

Has she recently been through a heat cycle? She may have a false pregnancy and may be regarding the 'ball' and chicks as her pups.

 

[Kentuckyrain]

Has she recently been through a heat cycle? She may have a false pregnancy and may be regarding the 'ball' and chicks as her pups.

She had her 2nd Heat back in June

 

[sourland]

Which would put her somewhere near 'whelping date'. She thinks she is a mom.

 

[wyoDreamer]

So my baby girl, *18 month old Husky/Shepherd baby" has been depressed since my chicks hatched yesterday. I have the brooder in my mud room, and she has been laying/sleeping beside it, but it is not on ground level. She is hanging out near them, won't play or nothing. She even found an old tennis ball of hers,,, took it to "her area" near the chicks,, and is treating it like it is alive and a baby. She actually growled at me for coming near her/the ball. She is making funny sounds like the ball is ALIVE and she is protecting it.

Anyone know what the hell I am talking about, or what the heck she is doing/up too?

I am somewhat worried about the "growled at me" part. You have a pretty strong breed there and unless you make sure she knows you are the boss, you are going to have some issues. I had a husky years ago and we have a shepherd pup right now.
The growling shall not be allowed! You need to be able to walk up and take away anything that the dog has. My dogs may not have liked it, but they would let me take anything right from their mouth if I wanted it. I saved my Husky from being poisoned by rat bait that way. Most things I would look at, examine, turn around in my hands and what not, then hand them back to the dog as they sat there quietly and watched. It took work and a lot of patience, but it was so worth it when my husky gave me the rat bait she found in the barn.

Sorry about the unsolicited advice... back to your regularly scheduled programming...

I believe @sourland is correct about the false pregnancy, at least that is what it sounds like to me also.

 

[b.hromada]

Which would put her somewhere near 'whelping date'. She thinks she is a mom.

 

[treich7193]

Definitely put your pup in check! You are the only boss. I would spayed her unless you want to breed her. I had a baby (my dog) that went through false pregnancy, even lactate. It's frustrating she carried around a squeaky toy. I finally threw it away. Then she was fine.

 

[Mutt Farm]

Yep. Seen it. Anything can turn into a baby. She might not be depressed, just wants to stay close to guard the snack bin. Has she ever been around chickens? She might be hanging out where you are hanging out seeking attention. If you have never noticed any resource guarding prior to this, and she has been around and "mothered" chickens, it suggests possible maternal aggression. Unless there is a high demand for Shep/HuskyX whatever breeds her mix in your area, I suggest you spay her. False pregnancies are quite frustrating for a dog and can lead to pyometria and mammary tumors. I hope I don't sound strong here. Possibly you've owned and raised Shepherds, Huskies and crosses for years. If not, these are both very strong instinctual breeds that can be quite difficult to manage. Especially when mixed.

 

[Kentuckyrain]

I am somewhat worried about the "growled at me" part. You have a pretty strong breed there and unless you make sure she knows you are the boss, you are going to have some issues. I had a husky years ago and we have a shepherd pup right now.
The growling shall not be allowed! You need to be able to walk up and take away anything that the dog has. My dogs may not have liked it, but they would let me take anything right from their mouth if I wanted it. I saved my Husky from being poisoned by rat bait that way. Most things I would look at, examine, turn around in my hands and what not, then hand them back to the dog as they sat there quietly and watched. It took work and a lot of patience, but it was so worth it when my husky gave me the rat bait she found in the barn.

Sorry about the unsolicited advice... back to your regularly scheduled programming...

I believe @sourland is correct about the false pregnancy, at least that is what it sounds like to me also.

I do agree with you 100%. She is not like this to my hubby, but she is ALWAYS "testing" me, I believe,, she has bit me a few times,, and I have bit her back,, she is my dog but wants to be daddy's dog. She listens better to my old man and his best buddy then me. I do have my hands full, and I have never had either of her breeds b4. I am very experienced with dogs, grew up with them,, had Labs, Dobermans, Rottweilers,, then the last 10 yrs b4 her, had Poms.,, But she is a handful and dominant and everyday is a new challenge for me and her. But she respects my hubby and his best guy friend,, but her and I are always going at it,,,

 

[Kentuckyrain]

Definitely put your pup in check! You are the only boss. I would spayed her unless you want to breed her. I had a baby (my dog) that went through false pregnancy, even lactate. It's frustrating she carried around a squeaky toy. I finally threw it away. Then she was fine.

I did throw out her toy, and actually, several of them because she kept acting like they ALL were alive and her babies,, now they are all gone.