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Dalmatian Gives Birth To Huge Litter Of Puppies

Dalmatian Gives Birth To Huge Litter Of Puppies

Nellie's litter is double the average size.

Ciara Sheppard

Ciara Sheppard

In news that's sure to put a smile on your face, a Dalmatian has given birth to a litter of 18 puppies.

It's not quite 101, but that's pretty enormous nonetheless.

The brood belongs to first-time mum Nellie, who welcomed 10 boys and 8 girls on 14th April after a 14-hour labour.

Nellie is a first-time mum (
Caters)

Nellie belongs to owner Louise Clement, who already has nine Dalmatians, bringing the total to 27 of the spotty dogs which roam her home near Preston, Lancs.

Nellie's large litter is one short of the world record for Dalmatians (with 19 born to a bitch in Australia in July last year), and more than double the size of an average litter (eight pups).

"We knew that Nellie was quite big so we were expecting a large litter, but we had no idea she would have this many," said Louise, a former nurse, 46.

The brood of 18 is one short of the world record for Dalmatian litters (
Caters)

"She had a great natural labour, but they just kept on coming.

"I thought she'd stopped after number 15, because it looked like she had lay down to go to sleep.

"But then along came another one, and two more after that.

"We are just absolutely in love with the puppies.

"Nellie is an amazing mum, she's got great sentiment and is a complete clown, she makes us laugh every day."

Louise is a registered Kennel Club breeder and has looked after the spotty breed for 30 years. She still owns Nellie's mum, Penny, and her grandmother Pebbles. The huge family of dogs means she often has dogs sleeping all over her house, from the kitchen utility room to even her own bed.

"Fortunately, we have a lot of outside space and the dogs have lots of things to play with - they've got their own Wendy House, and swings and slides that they love to play on," she says.

Adorable! (
Caters)

"Some sleep in the kitchen, some sleep in the utility, and some sleep in the living room, a couple occasionally join me in bed."

Louise went on: "Nellie is making a really lovely mum.

"I slept on the sofa with her for the last two weeks of the pregnancy, just to keep an eye on her.

"I was there for each one when they were born, and helped her with each of them. We weighed them and put a coloured collar on them to tell them apart."

Louise already had nine Dalmatians, which roam her home in Preston, Lancs (
Caters)

The breeder said of the new num: "I'm immensely proud proud of her, she's been amazing."

Featured Image Credit: Caters

Topics: Life News, Life, Dogs