‘House Hippo’ Hilariously Protects Her Pregnant Puppy BFF During Labor
Best friends are supposed to see you through thick and thin — just like a Pocket Bully named Remy who was there for her bestie. The pooch was standing guard by the dog while she was in labor. There was nothing that could've made Remy leave the other dog's side.
As a pet owner, it must make your heart melt to see two of your dogs getting along so well with each other.
Millie is so lucky that Remy loves her as much as she does. The Pocky Bully was so devoted to her bestie she first sat by the doorway watching Millie, before slowly moving inside and plopping herself next to Millie's enclosure. Remy kept a close eye on the door the entire time. She was so protective!
Related: Dog Instictively Protects Baby While Playing a Game With Mom and Our Hearts Can't Take It
"She don't play about her Bestie. She’s guarding her while she's in labor," their owner wrote in the text overlay.
People in the comments section vowed never to cross the Bully. "She’s standing on business," joked one person. "She was standing there like you owe her rent money," someone else joked. "Nah she’s ready to FIGHT," teased one man. "We love a supportive queen. AND she was respectful of boundaries and came closer when it was ok," praised one woman.
Maternal Aggression in Dogs
In many cases it isn't a pal who becomes protective during labor, but rather the mama dog herself. After giving birth female dogs can exhibit maternal aggression — a very natural instinct that can be sort of worrying to her owners.
Dogs showing maternal aggression might growl, bare her teeth, or stand between others and her babies. It might seem concerning, but the mama dog has been overtaken by powerful chemical alterations in her brain that make her protective of her kids. It's natural! In fact these changes happen to up the chance of survival for both mom and her babies.
The hormones are oxytocin, prolactin, and estrogen, and all together encourage your dog to bond with her pups, feel protective over them, and become a little more on edge.
If your dog is showing signs of maternal aggression there are ways to manage it. One way is to keep your home stress free. We know, we know — you want to invite friends and family over to see the puppies. But you're better off keeping your house calm and quiet so your dog doesn't feel like there's a threat. Too much going on can also distract your dog from its motherly duties, which can also agitate her.
For those first few days, she probably won't want to be far from her babies. You might have to move things around so mom can keep her pups in sight. Eventually things will get better, but you may need to give mama some space until she calms down.
Lucky for Millie, it seems she has the perfect backup in case anyone tries to get too close.
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