A golden retriever named Athena surprised her family in Araçoiaba da Serra, in the interior of São Paulo, by adopting puppies from another dog of the same breed after losing her own pregnancy.
The case, shared by Graciele Francine in a comment on TikTok , caught the attention of the Amo Meu Pet portal, which contacted them to find out the details.
According to Graciele, Athena is three years old and lives with two other males of the breed.
The dog became pregnant in April 2024, but ended up losing her puppies after being treated for a parasite infestation.
“We knew she was pregnant; she already had a belly and was producing milk. But she caught something nasty, and we had to give her medicine to save her, and she ended up losing her puppies,” he said.
While Athena was coping with her loss, Graciele’s friend’s dog, Mia, was still pregnant after mating with one of Graciele’s golden retrievers.
However, after a C-section, Mia rejected the puppies .
“My friend called me in despair because her dog wouldn’t accept the puppies and even wanted to eat them. She said she couldn’t take care of them alone, since she had to feed the babies every two hours, so we split the litter,” she reported.
Graciele took six puppies home and was surprised by Athena’s reaction.
“At first, I was worried she might hurt the puppies, but I noticed she became excited and curious. Little by little, I let her get closer. Soon, she started licking, sniffing, and lying next to them, encouraging them to urinate and defecate like a mother would,” he said.
Even without having milk to breastfeed, Athena took on the role of caregiver , warming the puppies and interacting with them during the first few days.
“She trained them, setting limits with little bites when they played too hard. It was incredible; even the puppies’ owner was shocked because their biological mother rejected them and mine took them in,” she added.
The golden retriever’s behavior surprised even its owner, who was not expecting this instinct.
“She’s very playful, she runs, bites, and gets naughty, but I never imagined she would have such a strong maternal instinct. I was afraid of rejecting her, but she was exactly the opposite, very affectionate and protective.”
The unexpected adoption had an impact on the entire family. Months later, Athena had her own litter , this time of four puppies.
“She was a wonderful mother. Everyone who came here said there was no mother like her. And unlike many dogs, she always let the family participate, hold the puppies, and play. She just wouldn’t let other dogs get near her,” Graciele said.
All the puppies in Athena’s adopted litter were placed in trustworthy homes. The family even organized a reunion when they turned one year old.
“It was wonderful to see everyone together again; it was a special birthday. This experience made us fall even more in love with her. If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be unconditional, because it was an unconditional love,” he said.
The case reinforces something already observed in other cases: dogs can adopt puppies from other bitches, especially when they go through terminated pregnancies.
Maternal instinct, combined with the bond with the family group, can trigger this behavior.
Furthermore, stories like Athena’s highlight the importance of veterinary care during pregnancy and postpartum, as complications can occur and require immediate attention.
Athena remains healthy today, surrounded by care and affection. For Graciele, the dog occupies an even greater place in the family after the episode.
