A little dachshund from Cambridgeshire has accomplished an extraordinary feat: giving birth to a massive litter of 11 puppies.
Mollie, a three-year-old dachshund from Fordham, gave birth to the impressive litter at home, leaving her owner, Ian Rampley, completely stunned. Initially, he was only expecting four to six puppies, but as the births continued, the number of puppies continued to increase, reports Cambridgeshire Live.
“Mollie was really well-behaved and did well,” Rampley told reporters. “After the first two, she settled in and took off. This is her first litter. They just kept coming. I became James Herriot from start to finish.”
A rare and remarkable litter
Of the 11 puppies, seven are black and tan, like their mother, while four are brown, including two registered as red, a rare shade for the breed. Given the unexpected litter size, Rampley is now considering keeping some of the puppies while ensuring the others find suitable homes.
Dachshunds typically have litters of one to six puppies, making Mollie’s birth highly unusual. Her story follows a similar case in Leicester last year, where another dachshund, Winnie, also gave birth to 11 puppies, making national headlines.
How does Mollie compare to the world record?
Although the Guinness Book of Records doesn’t track litter sizes by breed, the largest litter of puppies ever recorded was 24, born to a Neapolitan Mastiff named Tia in the United Kingdom on November 29, 2004.
Mollie didn’t set an absolute record, but she certainly tied one of the largest dachshund litters ever recorded. Her remarkable story proves that even the smallest dogs can be full of surprises!
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