Bli Bli's 16 additions to the puppy population | Offbeat

Nikita Lee | 28th November 2008

Proud mum of 16 - Elle with her gorgeous brood. Not bad for her first litter.

HOW many pups can a dog have in one sitting?

Sixteen seems to be the answer, if you go by bull mastiff cross Elle's latest birthing ordeal.

The Bli Bli dog gave birth to her first puppy on November 3 and popped out the final pup a gruelling 13 hours later.

Owners John Ebsworth and Dianna McGovern were shocked at the number of puppies that were born in their dog's first litter.

Ms McGovern said they had managed to resuscitate the last three puppies that were not breathing at birth and nurture them into healthy three-week-old puppies.

The couple has been caring for all 16 pups while trying to find a good home for each of them.

“I think these dogs are supposed to have about 10 and, after number nine, we thought that was the end of it, but then she just kept going,” she said.

“They're so cute but we're so busy just keeping them healthy.

“They have to be bottle-fed because there's just too many for Elle to feed and we've got them in two separate boxes.”

The couple has been so busy since the births that they haven't established the ratio of boys and girls in the litter.

Mr Ebsworth witnessed the first four births before heading to work and receiving text message updates throughout the day.

He said he had found responsible owners for a handful of the puppies, but still needed to find suitable homes for the remainder of the litter.

“I'd like to keep them all but we just can't do it,” he said.

“I don't want anything for them; I just want them to go to a good home.”

Mr Ebsworth said he believed the father of the litter was a Great Dane.

Anyone interested in providing a good home for any of the puppies can contact 0402 532 349.

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