Is it true that female dogs eat one puppy after giving birth

Question: Is it true that female dogs eat one puppy after giving birth
- Keywords:
  birth,
  dogs,
  female
Asked by Rading to Marta on 17 Jul 2017.
- Marta Maia answered on 17 Jul 2017:
  
  A bitch can eat her puppies, even more than one. This does not always happen. It’s instinct for mother dogs to eat sick, injured or dead puppies. She does this in order to protect the rest of the litter from scavengers. She’ll also eat her puppies if she is malnourished and unable to feed them. She might also do this because she feels threatened.