Need Help w/Pupper & Kittens

[Shapeshifter]

It was suggested that I move this post from the cat health room to another forum,,,I hope this is the right one.

I rescued three kittens from the side of the road and the vet estimated their age to be between 3 and 4 weeks at that time. We gently introduced them to our pupper, Tori whose maternal instincts kicked in big time.

She wanted to clean them and the vet said it wouldn't hurt the kittens and is what she would do if she had puppies. She was a huge help keeping them clean. [Tori is part schnauzer part shizt zhu, and part some kind of terrier.

Now that the kittens are a little bigger, [about 9 weeks old] I think Tori may be confused about them. she is spayed and never had puppies. What she did one night was to start "mouthing" the kittens, i.e., putting her open mouth over the kitten. No growling but you can see her teeth. We immediately removed the kittens to their safe room but did not punish the dog.

While we were allowing her supervised access to the kitties, she's not allowed any contact with them at all now.

Are we doing the right thing? It might be my wishful thinking, but she may be losing interest in them.

How can we train her to respect them and leave them alone? Right now she sit/waits or sit/stays.
My hope is this may pass after they grow some and are better able to protect themselves.

We have had Tori for 3 years so adopting out either her or the kittens is not an option. We have always had kitties and sent our eldest over the Rainbow Bridge in April.

[mamabear]

Is she picking up the kittens with her mouth?
Is she putting her mouth over the kittens "scruff" of their neck?
Is she putting her mouth over the kittens entire body?
Is she "scruffing" them and then trying to shake them?
A mother cat would scruff them and even teach them by moving them with their own mouth, even swat at them, so would any mother dog. Dogs "teach" their puppies at a young age and I would see no difference that if her maternal instincts kicked in ,that she would not want to teach her"puppies"even though they are feline.

I know there are some here that can better assist you. Please make sure until someone here helps you that you do keep supervised visits with them but don't stop it all together. That stress would not help this household.

Are you planning on keeping these kittens?
Getting them neutered/spayed?
Have they been back to Vet for their shots and testing for diseases?
Are they indoors only? If not please do for their safety keep them INDOORS ONLY

[Shapeshifter]

Is she picking up the kittens with her mouth? She hasn't as of yet

Is she putting her mouth over the kittens "scruff" of their neck? No

Is she putting her mouth over the kittens entire body? More so

Is she "scruffing" them and then trying to shake them? No she hasn't picked them up at all

In fact, we have not allowed her contact with the kittens at all.

Are you planning on keeping these kittens? Yes

Getting them neutered/spayed? Yes, they are too young right now

Have they been back to Vet for their shots and testing for diseases?
Just got wormed and 1st round of kitten shots. Next appointment next week

Are they indoors only? If not please do for their safety keep them They will be indoor cats.