Why do adult dogs kill puppies?

Question

Why do adult dogs kill puppies? Is it because the puppy comes into the adult dog's territory so they kill them.

For many years I've handling my street dogs, one dog is my pet, it is always in my home, other 2 dogs are outsiders. These 2 outsider dogs always kill puppies.

Whenever my own pet's puppy or any other street dog puppy is near or around most of the dogs kill them. Similarly other dogs also kill other dog puppies.

Why don't adult dogs understand that the puppy is a child?

Just last week my puppy was killed by 2 street dogs. I was just going towards it but they killed in just 5 seconds. There was not any injuries on my puppy's body, Doctor told me that they both drilled it's lung, so it died in only 5 seconds. :(

As guided by Zaralynda , I have asked another question of "how to save them."

Please See With which treatment we can save puppies beaten by adult dogs?

Answer 1

I found this post because my friends just tried breeding for the first time and their other female dog has killed 2 of the 3 puppies the same way. Pierced lung when she picked them up. I do not know whether the dog is trying to hurt or take the puppies but it seems to me that it doesn't matter. Clearly this is a known phenomenon and a natural behaviour. It doesn't seem to be limited to stray vs pet dogs. These three (1 male and 2 females) live very happily together as cherished pets. I've always bought dogs from breeders and I notice that they keep the mother and puppies in a separate room with a door and do not allow contact with any other dogs. Maybe this is why. If you have space maybe changing your logistics could prevent this. Good luck to you. You are clearly an animal lover who is trying to do good for these dogs. I wish the vet would have warned you about this just as I wish they had warned our friends.