Why Rescue Dog Loves Puppies and Babies Breaks Hearts—'Can't Get Over This'

Information about their past isn't always available when you rescue a dog, however, in the case of TikTok "sensation" Bean, her owners knew that she had previously had puppies before she was rescued.

Jordan Plumb, 29, a freelance photographer from San Francisco, told Newsweek: "I don't know much about her backstory, other than she was only about a 1-1.5 years old and already pregnant when she ended up at the rescue. She had her puppies in a foster home and stayed with them until the puppies were old enough to be weaned."

In an adorable video posted to the page @todayatthepark, Bean the Siberian husky Australian shepherd mix rescue dog can be seen staring at the camera, tail wagging and tapping her toes on the floor.

The text reveals: "This is Bean. Before she was rescued Bean had puppies of her own. Now, she always gets extra excited about meeting puppies and babies, but is so good with them. 1000/10 good mama."

"Bean is an absolute delight when it comes to interacting with both puppies and babies," said Plumb. "She is generally enthusiastic about meeting all dogs, but her excitement reaches a whole new level when we meet a young dog. She'll be extra persistent about saying hello to them, and goes into a gently play mode very quickly.

"Whenever Bean spots a baby or toddler, she makes this excited sound that can be best described as a delightful blend of a gentle whine and a playful pig's grunt. Whenever a child shows interest in her, we'll offer them a treat to give to Bean. Bean then sits politely, taking the treat from their hands extra gently and kids love it!"

Many users in the comments asked what breed Bean is. In a pinned video on their TikTok page, the results of a DNA test revealed that Bean is 40.9 percent Siberian husky, 13.7 percent Australian shepherd, 11.2 percent Chow Chow, 9.1 percent Alaskan malamute, 7.1 percent German shepherd, 4.8 percent Doberman pinscher and 13.2 percent Supermutt.

It's unclear whether Bean was unlucky enough to be used as a puppy mill dog before she was rescued, although Plumb doesn't believe Bean was that unlucky.

"I don't believe she was," said Plumb. "When I adopted her, she was already really well socialized, knew how to walk on a leash and sit on command which leads me to believe she was cared for at one point."

Bean has been neutered, "although I've had multiple people call dibs on her puppies if she ever did have another litter because they love Bean so much," said Plumb.

In puppy mills, "mother dogs spend their entire lives in cramped cages with little to no personal attention," according to the Humane Society of the United States.

The organizations states that there are an estimated 10,000 puppy mills across the United States.

The mothering instinct is incredibly strong in a female dog with puppies, and early separation and premature weaning can not only put the puppies at risk, but also cause significant stress to the new mother.

It's generally accepted that puppies need to remain with their mother until they are at least eight weeks old. Puppies are born unable to see, hear or walk for the first few weeks and completely rely on their mother for everything and the bond between them will be extremely strong.

By eight to 10 weeks, the puppies should be weaned, and the mother may even try to get away from her much larger, more energetic puppies, meaning that if done properly, the puppies and mother will not be affected by the separation.

"Puppies removed from the litter too early are prone to be nervous with a tendency to bark and bite. They are also less likely to accept discipline and may also be aggressive to other dogs," according to pet advice website Pethelpful.

When looking to get a dog, Plumb would highly recommend adopting. "Bean has truly made my life so much better in countless ways," she said. "She's the first dog I adopted on my own, and I affectionately refer to her as my 'soul mutt' because from the moment we met, I just knew we were meant to be. Bean has taught me some valuable life lessons along the way."

The clip has gained over 220,000 views and more than 50,000 likes as users couldn't get enough of the sweet video.

"I can't get over this she's just a little baby herself," said one user on TikTok.

"I adore what I see. she gives off lots of love and tenderness," said one user. "My rescue had a false pregnancy so she thought she was pregnant but no puppies. So we give her little stuffies to take care of and she loves it," said another user.

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.

Update 6/29/23, 5 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment and video from the original poster.