Woman Finds Newborn Puppy at Home, but She Had No Idea Her Chihuahua Was Even Pregnant (Exclusive)

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6 days ago

Lene Ackermann came home at midnight to find her Chihuahua, Lola, had secretly given birth to a puppy in her mother's bed
The family had no idea Lola was pregnant—there were no signs, no weight gain, and only two slightly swollen teats
The surprise birth quickly went viral on TikTok, and now the family is happily keeping the puppy and searching for the perfect nameLene Ackermann walked into her home at midnight expecting a quiet return from a long day of sports competition. Instead, she was met with squeaks coming from upstairs—and a newborn puppy lying in her mother's bed.
'I was busy feeding the animals and I'm thinking, where is Lola?' Lene tells PEOPLE. 'She's not coming to get her food, and then she runs down the stairs and runs back up.'
Still in her sneakers, Lene stood at the base of the stairs and froze. 'We hear squeaking, and I call my mom,' she says. 'We rush up, and at the top of the stairs, there's a puppy in my mom's bed.'
Unbeknownst to the family, their three-year-old Chihuahua, Lola, had given birth completely in secret. 'She completely opened up the duvet and had the baby right between the duvet and my mom's pillow,' Lene says.
The moment was shocking, emotional—and it's now viral. Lene posted the discovery on TikTok with the caption: 'Just got home to find my chihuahua with a baby. Didn't even know she was pregnant.'
The video exploded online, garnering millions of views, and sparking an avalanche of comments. Some were supportive, while others questioned how a birth could go so unnoticed.
Lene admits even she was stunned. 'We were completely shocked,' she tells PEOPLE. 'My dad had a suspicion the week before because two of her teats started swelling, but only two, which is weird.'
That tiny change wasn't enough to raise alarms. 'She hadn't gained any weight,' she adds. 'There was nothing that suggested she was pregnant.'
The family, who live with four cats, two other Chihuahuas, and a big dog, had never experienced anything like this. 'All of the rest of our animals are fixed and they're all spayed,' Lene says. 'We've never experienced an animal birth before.'
While Lola's pregnancy was unplanned, the idea of her becoming a mom was always a dream for the family. 'We did want her to have babies,' Lene says. 'She has very motherly tendencies, and it adds a lot of character to your dog as well.'
Still, they assumed they'd have more time—and more warning. 'You would think you would notice it, but we didn't,' she adds.
The father, Pablo, is just eight months old. 'We have one other Chihuahua and he isn't fixed,' Lene says. 'We got him at the end of last year, and he's only eight months old.'
In the moments after discovering the puppy, panic set in. 'There was only one, so we immediately started stressing,' Lene tells PEOPLE. 'We searched the entire house in case there were any other puppies, maybe one fell off the bed.'
They flipped the bedding, scoured every room, and checked every corner. But it was just Lola and her single newborn.
The next morning, they brought the new mom and baby to the vet. 'We took her to the vet the next day just to double check,' Lene says. 'She was acting fine, but obviously we didn't know if something happened during the birth.'
The vet gave them comforting news. 'It was a very smooth birth, and it is normal for there to only be one,' Lene explains. 'Especially with Pablo being so young, and it being Lola's first time giving birth.'
Chihuahuas, they learned, typically have small litters—sometimes just one to three pups. 'We also found that out afterwards,' she says. 'So we did find out it's normal for Chihuahuas.'
Lola's maternal instincts came on instantly and fiercely. 'She's not allowing any of the other animals close to the baby,' Lene tells PEOPLE. 'She wouldn't let Pablo anywhere near either.' Even the cats and the larger dog weren't safe from her protective growls. 'If they came even in the same room, she would be growling and barking,' she says.
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That behavior mellowed as days passed, and now both Lola and Pablo are watching over the baby. 'She only let us touch the baby at first,' Lene says. 'But now they're both looking after her.'
The puppy, a little girl, is healthy and thriving. 'We're definitely keeping her,' Lene says. 'She's adorable, and her eyes opened today actually.' The family is still debating on a name, but there's no doubt she's staying. 'She's currently lying on my bed in the sun,' Lene adds. 'So she's perfect.'
For Lene, the love her family has for Lola runs deep—and her journey into motherhood feels like fate. 'She's always had this thing since we got her,' Lene shares. 'She's really protective over her toys.'
Lola would carry her toy bones around the house and stash them with family before going outside or eating. 'She would growl at anyone that came close,' Lene says. 'She's had that maternal instinct from day one.'
That bond, Lene believes, is what made this unexpected birth feel so right. 'It was obviously very important to her,' she says. 'So we wanted to give her that chance.'
Now, with a surprise puppy and a once-in-a-lifetime memory, the Ackermann family is soaking in every moment. 'She's doing what she needs to do,' Lene says. 'And we're just in awe.'
Read the original article on People