The video: A purebred Rhodesian Ridgeback in Germany is being called, affectionately if inaccurately, the "Octomom" of dogs after giving birth to 17 healthy puppies — eight females and nine males — in late September. (See video below.) The brood's owner, Ramona Wegemann, an animal psychiatrist based near Berlin, notes how rare and "incredible" it is for all the puppies in such a large litter to survive. Wegemann admits that keeping the pups fed has been a "full-time" job, but hopes to sell the newborns to families that have kids for about $1,315 per dog, just slightly more than she's spent for food and veterinary care.
The reaction: "It doesn't quite have the ring of 101 Dalmatians, but 17 Rhodesian Ridgebacks are quite enough," says Polly Davis Doig at Newser. The puppy mama, who endured 26 hours of labor, deserves to be commended, says Alastair Plumb at Asylum UK. "What. A. Dog." And her "massive litter" makes an "ever-so-adorable collection of woofers." Watch an AP report on the puppies, below.
