Dog Showing Owner Her New Puppies Delights Internet: 'So Proud of Herself'

When your dog has puppies, you simply need to accept that your home will be temporarily turned into a maternity ward for at least a couple of months.

Between cleaning up after the puppies, and making sure your dog takes a break, you'll be working non-stop caring for your new brood.

One woman who recently welcomed three West Highland terrier puppies into her home is Christie Henriksen, who works as a canine stylist.

In the video posted to her TikTok account @4dogmomlife, which has over 598,000 views, her West Highland terrier, River, can be seen demanding to be let through to see her new born babies. She proudly hops into the pen, and satisfied that they are all there, looks smugly at the camera.

River is clearly a good mother checking up on her puppies, as VCA Animal Hospitals recommend checking new born puppies every few hours, "to make sure they are all suckling and are warm and content."

"Any puppies that are crying or appear cold should be placed on the inguinal (hind) teats and checked frequently to make sure they are not being pushed away by the other puppies. The teats between the hind legs generally give the most milk," the animal hospital added.

Puppies cannot maintain their own body heat for a week or two after they're born, so it's important their mother spends most of her time with them.

"As long as the puppies stay close to their mother, the room temperature is not too critical," say VCA. "However, if the mother leaves her puppies alone, they need to be provided with an external source of warmth. During the first four days of life, the environmental temperature where the puppies are kept should be maintained at 85-90°F (29.5-32°C). The temperature may then be gradually decreased to approximately 80°F (26.7°C) by the seventh to tenth day, and to about 72°F (22.2°C) by the end of the fourth week."

One of the major red flags when monitoring new born puppies is weight loss.

"Weight loss in a puppy is a cause for concern," added VCA. "Therefore, keep careful records of your newborn puppies' weights. During the first two weeks of life, before their eyes open, puppies should feed and sleep for at least 90 percent of the time. If you are weighing the puppies regularly (once a day), there should be a consistent increase in weight. If any of the puppies appear restless or noisy, this may indicate a lack of nourishment or infection."

Users on TikTok loved the puppies.

"There is literally nothing cuter than a westie!! Except for westie puppies," commented one user. "She's looking like come on now I gotta get back to my babies. What's taking you so long," said another.

"So proud of herself," commented one user on TikTok, as another noted: "They look like little polar bears, so cute."

Newsweek has reached out to Henriksen via TikTok for comment.

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.