Sue Medland, 54, was quite happy dealing with her two-year-old St Bernard Amber; walking, feeding, and all that comes with dog ownership.
Now, however, those responsibilities have multiplied by nine, as Amber had a large litter of surprise puppies.
She fell for a local rescue dog – Aston, a Spanish Mastiff – and, much to Sue’s shock, a couple of months later had babies.
The nine new additions have apparently transformed the family’s home in St Helier, Jersey, and Sue affectionately calls the babies a ‘pack of young hooligans’.
Feeding is serious business, as they naughty nine need to be fed at half past five in the morning, again at lunch, after work, around ten in the evening, and sometimes even in the middle of the night, with Sue and her husband giving Amber some much-needed help.
Both Sue and her husband work full-time, meaning that they have to rely on a ‘puppy camera’ during the day.
She says: ‘She added: ‘We have a puppy camera set up in the house now, so that my husband, my son and myself can keep an eye on them during the day.
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‘My husband and I each took a week off work when Amber had the pups, and I slept downstairs with her for the week before she gave birth and the week after.’
They’re currently five weeks old, and Sue is looking to rehome them once they’re ready.
‘Since they are so young, we have not yet pushed for homes for them, but I do already have people waiting to come and see them,’ she says.
‘And I will also want to see if they are suitable owners. These are big dogs, and you need to have the space for them.’