Having a pregnant dog at home can bring us many joys, but also many surprises that can leave us amazed, but also speechless. Many people love big families, but giving birth is no easy task. The same goes for animal mothers. Luckily, most canine births are not as dramatic as ours.

Your dog should be perfectly capable of handling the birth on her own, as long as the litter doesn’t exceed five or six puppies. However, think of how exhausting it must have been for our protagonist dog to bring 13 little bundles of fur into the world.

Meet Diva, a 3-year-old American Staffordshire terrier, who kept her owners on edge with her gigantic belly. The proud father of the offspring was a 13-year-old mixed-breed German Shepherd named Joey. Diva and Joey would become parents, but they never imagined having so many.

“They began their own love story in June 2013… And it ended in a pregnancy,” wrote their human in a post showing Diva giving birth to her puppies. During the massive delivery, the dog was placed on towels and, panting with exhaustion, started her labor, accompanied by her human who never left her side.

At the beginning, with the arrival of the first pup, the mother felt scared and vulnerable. Nerves made her try to sit in the middle of the process, but her human was there to calm her and prevent further complications. “We helped her a bit, and after the first puppy came out safely, Diva calmed down,” said her caretaker. Immediately, she proved to be the best mother in the world to each of her little ones as they came into the world.

The man assisted his pet by opening the amniotic sacs of the puppies, while Diva only watched her babies, who instinctively began to nurse. The first puppy was multi-colored. The second was black. Each puppy was gently picked up by hand to avoid falling onto the towels. After the arduous and exhausting labor of this brave canine mother, 12 miracles arrived, as sadly, one of them crossed the rainbow bridge.

Diva emerged victorious from her exceptional delivery, bringing 13 creatures into the world. And everything was captured in an amazing video. In the footage, you can see the proud and happy mother’s tender expression, loving and doting on her beautiful new litter. A “zoorprising” family in every sense.

As with us, a dog’s delivery is laborious. But nature is wise, and this furry mother, despite the tremendous effort, knew what to do thanks to her instinct. The new mother knew how to protect what she loved most, giving them all her love and protection.

The owner announced that he would try to place all the puppies in responsible homes where they would not lack love. And if they were not sure they would be welcomed into loving families, they would stay with them until they could ensure their well-being and health. Shortly after that, they decided to spay Diva because they do not want to expose her to another similar delivery. It was undoubtedly the most responsible decision, and we are happy to know she continues to live protected and cared for with those she loves. Never forget the sacrifice, dedication, and importance of a mother to the entire animal kingdom. Indeed, there is only one mother!