Suppression of Sucking Behavior in Non-Deprived Puppies

Abstract

The suppressive effect previously found in puppies who had been deprived of food by separation from the dam was also demonstrated in puppies not so deprived. When the stomachs of 3- and 4-day-old Shetland sheep dog and beagle puppies ( n = 9) were loaded with milk, they sucked the dam's teats for 0.1 min. (mean score out of a possible maximum of 30.0 min.), and lost 0.1% in body weight. Nonloaded Ss ( n = 9) sucked for 15.6 min. and gained 0.5% in body weight. The binomial sign test p for the group difference on each measure was less than .01. Suppression of sucking in loaded Ss was complete except for the final 1.0 min. in one of the nine loaded Ss.