Leroy & Winchester are two old boys living out their “Golden Years” in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Both are rescue dogs, and one is from a Golden Retriever shelter that their parents Katie and John Black have fostered puppies from for years – the Neuse River Golden Retriever Center.
View this post on Instagram
Many a puppy has come through the Black house – all as adorable as can be.
And the couple has generously cared for and socialized dozens of dogs so they can eventually become the perfect family pets.
(It starts to look like a great idea when you see pics like this!)
View this post on Instagram
Back in 2017, the Blacks agreed to foster a pregnant Golden mix named Rosie.
View this post on Instagram
Now, that’s a special kind of giving because it means providing a home and enough nourishment to grow her puppies.
Then, of course, the biggest gift is going through the birth process with the pup and then worrying and watching to make sure those puppies grow big and strong for at least 8 weeks.
It’s a huge, exhausting responsibility and we’re so thankful to those who do it!
Now, when Rosie gave birth, everyone got a little bit of a surprise.
View this post on Instagram
Her four puppies were actually tiny cows.
View this post on InstagramNot quite the puppy pile we were expecting – but we will gladly take 4 baby cows. 😂
Ok, now we’re just kidding. We know how biology works.
The four cow-colored puppies are called Daisy, Clarabelle, Betsy, and Moo.
Unless you have a carefully purebred dog (and we always advocate for adopting rescues when you can!), chances are your dog has a bit of a few other breeds in there. In fact, when they did a DNA test on baby Moo, the Blacks discovered he had no Golden in him at all (at least if the test is correct – they aren’t perfect).
And Rosie was a mix of way more than that – and no Golden Retriever at all!
View this post on Instagram
So those kiddos’ spots are the markings of an American Foxhound daddy (and one that needs to be spayed!).
The puppies made for some pretty funny photos at first, and when Katie Black posted them to Reddit, this one immediately went viral.
Not quite what we were expecting – Our foster dog and Golden Mix gave birth yesterday. To baby cows. :) She is one proud Mama. from r/aww
Don’t worry, Rosie’s not as confused as she looks.
She loved those puppies and raised them well with the help of her humans.
View this post on Instagram
You have to scroll back aways on the family’s Instagram account to 2017, but there are dozens of wonderful photos of the pups getting bigger and Rosie thriving.
Here she is with the runt of the litter, baby Betsy.
View this post on Instagram
Rosie didn’t produce quite enough milk to feed the pups the whole way through, so the Blacks had plenty to help out with.
In an Instagram post a few weeks after their birth, she explained:
“4 puppies, an hour and a half, and 9 1/2 bottles of milk. 😴Repeat in a few hours. Rosie is pretty worn out and isn’t feeding them regularly anymore but is still cleaning them and watching them closely.’
View this post on Instagram
We doubt anyone can know the amount of energy human foster parents put in when one of their pregnant pups gives birth.
But John looks like he was quite the co-parent as well!
View this post on Instagram
In the end, the tiny “cow puppies” grew up to be even more adorable.
And each and every single one – Rosie included! – went to a loving home by February of 2018.
View this post on Instagram
“Mission accomplished,” the couple wrote on the last post.
Kudos to them for making sure those puppies had a great start and that Rosie found the home she was meant for.
Be sure to check out the Blacks’ Instagram page for more photos.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
