English Mastiffs usually give birth to an average of six to eight puppies – so imagine how proud Lily felt with her litter of 21!
Easily beating a previous Californian record of 17, Lily's adorable large family has sent jaws dropping across the world after the news broke on Facebook.
What's more, it emerged the litter was so large, the birth had to be carried out by a caesarean section. The procedure was led by Dr Debra Hoffler at the Countryside Veterinary Hospital and it involved every one of the center's medical staff.
Lily has been raised at Mystery Mountain Mastiffs, in Valley Center, which is a small, 11-acre kennel established in 1995.
Owned by Clark Henderson, who also works as a dentist in San Diego, it prides itself on providing extensive socialization with other dogs and humans.
“Congratulations to all the new puppy owners of this incredible record-setting litter!”, the Facebook post said, prompting some of those owners to share photos of the puppies settling nicely in their new homes.
- English Mastiff vs Bullmastiff: Which breed should you choose?
- 30 Mastiffs rescued from mass breeder as the cost of living rises: "Animals pay the price"
English Mastiffs are no stranger to setting records. As the largest of the different types of Mastiff breeds, one became the heaviest dog in the world in 1989, weighing in at 345 pounds (157 kilograms).
Sadly, however, Lily's litter size isn't the largest of all time. That accolade goes to Neapolitan Mastiff Tia, in the United Kingdom, who gave birth to 24 puppies in 2004.
Even so, it's still a whopping achievement. Our congratulations go out to all!
