We are now 2 days post whelping, and everything going fine… except when we try to feed mum. (Aggression with food was never a problem before whelping, you could put your hand in her dish to add or remove food with no adverse reaction).

Lilly will only leave the whelping box to relieve herself outside, the smallest squeak from the pups and she returns to her litter, a very devoted mum. However the drawback to this is we are having to give her food and water when she is in the whelping box, but she is aggressive to the pups if one should crawl towards her food… as if a 2 day old pup would steal her food, she bears her teeth and snaps at the poor pup… who is blissfully unaware of the shot across the bows, she has also done the same to my wife and daughter when they are feeding her and they try to redirect an errant pup.
She even shows aggression when having treats!
We have tried to feed her out of the box even out of the room but the pull of the pups is too great for her!
Have tried hand feeding her fresh chicken as a starter but she isn’t open to bribery.

Al

maybe common sense says do not offer her food/water inside the whelping box? Feed her outside of it. She may be reluctant at first, but hunger/thirst will soon bring her round. Her hormones are all over the place now. Give her a few days and all should return to normal.

Dear Admin
Hmmm Common Sense may say but the "Book of the Bitch" says otherwise.. J.M. Evans [$ Kay White must have made a mistake in their introduction to chapter 7 ]) something along the line of make it easy for your bitch feed feed her in bed!!!

Follow their advice then. Good luck

Alls well that ends well.... everything back on an even keel.
Everyone now relaxed.
Feeding and drinking well...
Hope I get a chance to do the same soon!
Al

Certainly feed her away from the pups, she will eventually leave them and not be so difficult. I had a Maltese bitch who had the sweetest nature until she whelped, then she turned into a snarling Menace, was fine with visitors but wouldn't allow my husband near her she only had to hear his key in the door and off she would go,growling and snarling. We has to lassoo her to get her to go out for a wee. It doesn't last though.
Don't take any chances around her food if she is showing aggression to her pups, I have heard of many bitches who have eaten their own offspring right up untill 6 weeks of age.

Hi,
My bitch was like this with her food when I tried to feed her with her pups in the whelping bed. She would growl at them if they went near the bowl so I told her off in no uncertain terms and did not feed her while the pups were there. It was not a big problem, she was like this with both her litters and only growled at them around food. I never worried that she would hurt them, she growls at our other dogs if they try to steal her food so I didn't worry, I just made sure when the pups were being weaned that she was out of the way and when she was fed the pups were in another room.
Best Wishes
Amy

Feed her wherever causes her the least stress - not always easy to work out, though. What is vital is that she gets liquid, little and often.