A video of a dog appearing to intervene when her puppies were caught fighting has gone viral on TikTok.
The video, shared from Artisan Doodles (@goldendoodles), had over 680,000 views at the time of writing. The footage showed Lucy the goldendoodle, a mix between a golden retriever and a poodle, approaching a couple of small pups that seemed to be going head-to-head.
Candace Dietz, a 38-year-old full-time breeder based in Springville, Utah, told Newsweek that Lucy, aged 2 and a half, had seven puppies that are now five weeks old.
"This has been quite a feisty litter, and Lucy absolutely watches them very closely and always steps in to mediate and correct them when needed. She is absolutely one of the most attentive and nurturing mothers I have ever seen," Dietz said.
A caption shared with the post read: "Lucy runs a tight ship."
Lucy's reaction to her puppies' antics isn't surprising as female dogs are often very attentive mothers.
A July 2019 study published in the International Journal of Veterinary Science and Medicine said: "Mammalian parental care, in most of the cases, is given by the female, who provides food, warmth, and protection."
The study found that "in domestic dogs, maternal behavior shown by the dam [female parent of puppies] mainly consists of contact, nursing, grooming/licking, play, punishment, thermoregulation, and motion."
Dog moms can also be aggressively protective of their puppies.
The July 2019 study said female dogs "with maternal aggressiveness monitor the nest, the puppies, or when a person or an animal is near."
The puppies represent "a precious resource" for the dog, "in which it has already invested much energy required for a satisfactory pregnancy," the study noted.
"The hormonal changes associated with lactation can alter the dam evaluation or perception of the range of resources, and involve protection even in ordinary objects, with an apparent disproportional ferocity," the study explained.
Growling and squealing was heard in the background of the latest viral TikTok clip as Lucy came between her two feisty pups. One of the puppies was seen tumbling over on the floor as Lucy walked away from them.
A message overlaid on the clip read: "Moms are the same in every species."
The latest video has left TikTokers in stitches.
BreatheFlowMuse said: "Momma said don't make me come over there two seconds before that correction."
Bev S wrote: "lmao [laughing my a** off] I watched this 4x and giggled every time. what a good mama."
MelissaYourRealtor wrote: "I don't know what she said but she got him togetha REAL fast!"
Carmen wrote "Mama said not today," while Nachelle said "She probably warned him once already."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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