A tiny dog who stepped in to help a new litter of orphan puppies is being hailed a hero.
A dalmatian mother named Thunder tragically lost her life after giving birth. The first puppy of 14 arrived safely, but the second one got stuck, forcing her to get an emergency C-section and she passed in the process. Two puppies, unfortunately, passed away about 12 hours later.
TikTok user @thundersnaturalpetdeli worried these puppies wouldn’t have a mother to help them in the early stages of life, but something miraculous happened—Thunder’s best doggy friend named Frank, a female dachshund, “stepped up” and became the new mom no one expected when the puppies desperately needed one.
In a video posted earlier this week, Franklies with her belly up as the puppies surround her. She’s staying calm and relaxed while still keeping an eye on the pups as they get their much-needed sleep. Proving she’s a natural, Frank seamlessly transitioned into her role. And by some miracle, she’s been able to produce milk to feed the litter.
The owner explained in the comment section: “…the vet said this can happen if the pups suckle at her nips. We are helping with additional bottle feeds though as there are 12, and they are huge.”
Part of the caption reads: “Not all heroes wear capes.”
Screenshots from a March 4 TikTok video of a dachshund who stepped in to care for her best doggy friend’s 12 puppies.
@thundersnaturalpetdeli/TikTok
Frank’s efforts have dramatically helped the once-orphaned babies. Now, they’re all doing “amazingly well,” the owner told Newsweek via TikTok.
“The 12 surviving pups will be two weeks tomorrow,” the owner said. “They are getting really big, starting to open their eyes and get their spots.”
Frank doesn’t seem to mind the extra responsibility. The owner said she’s taking advantage of “stuffing her face” and eating endless food. Plus, she’s been producing lots of milk, which is truly helping the puppies.
While the owner is thankful for Frank’s selfless act of caring for her bestie’s babies, the house isn’t the same without Thunder.
She said: “The house is just so quiet without Thunder, I don’t know if we will ever get used to it.”
Viewer Reactions
The touching story brought in over 24,700 views, 1,038 likes and 43 comments to TikTok as of Thursday.
“This is beautiful. Well done Frank you good girl,” said one viewer.
A second added: “Little Frank is a real hero! The best mom!”
Another jokingly wrote: “Frank is going to regret it in a few weeks when they’re all as big as she is.”
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