Vet said dog would give birth to 7 puppies – ends up having world-record litter of 21
The parents of a Great Dane in Britain received the unexpected gift of 21 puppies when their dog had puppies. The dog parents were initially told that their Great Dane, American bulldog mix, named Marie Jane, should expect no more than six to eight puppies. Boy, was the vet ever wrong!
MJ’s mother is told to expect six to eight puppies
It wasn’t until she was examined much closer to her due date that the couple was told to expect more than originally predicted, much more in fact. In late-November 2019, MJ delivered 21 puppies by natural means, just short of the Guinness World Record of 24. In that case, the dog from Cambridgeshire named Tia delivered her puppies via Caesarean section.
“When the vets told me it would probably be more after they’d said she would have just six to eight I said ‘no way!’” Joanne Hine, MJ’s mother, recalled. “I’m so proud of her. MJ did it all on her own. Annie and Ruth of Jane Callow Veterinary Practice by her side the whole time.”
MJ has way more puppies than expected
Out of the 21 puppies, only 14 survived, six were stillborn and one died soon after birth. MJ might still have the record for the number of puppies born naturally, as opposed to by Caesarean section, and quite the accomplishment for any mother, especially considering that this is MJ’s first-time giving birth.
A customer services assistant, Hine said she is proud of MJ, adding: “The first puppy came at about 1:30 p.m. on 20 November, and she kept on going until the last one was born at about 9 a.m. the next morning. She did so well, I was amazed with her.”
The puppies look just like their parents
The puppies have features reminiscent of both parents. They have the face of their father, a bull mastiff, Rottweiler mix, and the coloration of their mother, who is a black and white in color. The 14 pups have been named after various chocolate bars.
Hine and others help MJ out
Feeding and caring for them has also proven to be quite the chore. Hine has started sleeping in the kitchen with the puppies to ensure that they are all fed on time. Mom and pups are sleeping in a custom-made crib set up in the room which can hold all of them.
The puppies eat every two hours on their feeding schedule, whether this is by bottle or from their mom. Also helping Hine are her dad, brother, and friend. All of her helpers also plan on adopting one of the pups eventually.
Finding homes for the puppies
Hine plans on finding the puppies homes once they are old enough, and already has a home for two of them. Hine also plans to have MJ neutered after learning that often a dog’s second litter is bigger than their first.
Here is a video with more on this Great Dane mother’s record-setting effort.
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