We may consider our cats and dogs our fur babies, but caring for a pet doesn’t even come close to the ups and downs of true motherhood. Caring for a newborn shortly after going through a traumatic change like birth can be bittersweet for anyone, but think about how busy canine moms must be! After giving birth to litters as large as 16 puppies, the chaos has only begun.
This Australian Shepherd mom can totally relate! In March, the Aussie’s family in Salt Lake City gave a completely realistic peek into life with a large litter. This super mom carried and gave birth to 16 puppies, but even she reaches her limits sometimes.
The way she tries to ‘escape’ from her puppies has human moms feeling seen!
Someone give this mama dog a break! Her tense body language and desire to run say it all, but her puppies clearly don’t get the hint. If it’s up to them, they’d play and roughhouse with Mom all day long!
Clearly, this Aussie mom doesn’t feel the same way. The way she looks back and forth between her puppies and the person recording seems to ask, “Are you going to do something about this?” Unfortunately, she learned a hard lesson this day: You can’t take a day ‘off’ when you’re a parent!
Related: French Bulldog Mama Just Needs a Little Break From Her 10 Puppies and It’s So Relatable
“16 puppies?!” one commenter asked in disbelief. “OMG, she needs a spa day.” I have a feeling she would agree!
Although most dogs give birth to 5-6 puppies, on average, this number can vary greatly. Litter sizes up to 12 are considered ‘normal,’ so this large litter is definitely unusual. Luckily for Mom, she has people to help keep the babies safe when she’s busy or overwhelmed.
Building Puppy Paradise
Many commenters suggested giving this mama dog a space of her own where she can come and go as she pleases, but how would a pet parent do this? The puppies need a large space of their own to explore and stretch out, but you can add on to their enclosure in a way that still keeps them inside.
A commenter named Kelsey suggested, “Get a puppy pen, one short enough she can jump over but high enough they can’t get out (or add some type of steps. It’s a dog mom’s saving grace at this stage.” I think this merle Australian Shepherd mama will be thanking you very soon!
It’s a new mom’s job to make sure her babies are healthy, safe, and fed, but it’s everyone else’s job to take care of mom. That includes giving her a much-needed break sometimes!
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The post Australian Shepherd Mom Tries to ‘Escape’ Her 16 Puppies and the Struggle Is Real appeared first on PetHelpful.
