Any one ever seen this???

[one hunting fool]

I need some help… although I have had pups in my home for many years it is the first time I have had 2 female dogs one with pups one that has never been breed (2 year old).
Sadie my 2 year old who has never been around puppies or at least newborn puppies is having a hard time understanding. It seems as though she can not decide if they are food or something. She opens her mouth like either she is going to eat them or carrie them off I can not tell so I stop her then she drools all over. I am afraid to let her alone with them so we keep the mom, pups and her separated. I take her down to them twice a day so she can see her friend that she misses and she is very curios. 2 days ago she started doing something even funnier we are spring cleaning and have set a few things in the spare bedroom until we decide what to do with them, blankets, boxes and a home gym thing. My wife and I discovered Sadie has taken all our old blankets and scattered them on the floor and made a nest she then takes her favorite toy called a “Kong Wubba” and sets it in the middle and lays down next to it. She stays in there for hours arranging and rearranging the bedding. I told my wife its like she is making a whelping nest and playing puppy with her Wubba. I have some pictures that show this. Its weird she will step back and just look at the bedding then jump in and rearrange it. I just need to know if this is normal or is my dog as touched as I feared all this time? Here are the pictures
Here she is by her front foot in the back you can see her protecting her Wubba

Another one of the same

One with her looking to make sure its still there and safe

Is this natural HELP!!!!?

[bigbuck92]

Kinda like all females. Once one has kids then there friend wants one to. Sorta like shoes...i think

[79Ford]

We had a cockapoo that did something similar when I was young. She'd make a "nest" behind my parents waterbed and steal my toys and put them back there. She was spayed and probably 8-10 years old, i guess it's just a motherly instinct.

[downwind_heat]

I beleive that the dog is just going through a false pregnancy. Our black lab (also named sadie) had puppys when she was 3 and every couple years she has another false. I think It's just dogs maternal hormones kicking in. I wouldn't leave your dog alone with the puppys until about 2 weeks after she's used to them. Just remember not too seclude her from the rest of the family. Our dog does the same thing only she digs the biggest hole ever and takes an old coat and her monkey stuffed animal and just sits in there. She eventually gets over it just takes a little time. It's kind of a funny sight to see her outside taking a dump with that monkey in her mouth. It really fun to take the toy away and hide it, the dog will ALWAYS find it haha.