On a 20-acre farm in Hoerstel, Germany live a pair of breeding Vietnamese pigs. The sow had given birth in the forest, abandoning the runt. The owner of the property found the little, cold piglet all alone in the woods and brought her back to his home to his dog, Katjinga. The Rhodesian Ridgeback had recently had a litter of her own, and he thought she might take to the baby.


Katjinga instantly fell in love with the piglet, which they named Paulinchen, cleaning her like one of her own puppies, and nursing her after she began lactating again.


From then on the surrogate mom and her wrinkly new “puppy” were inseparable. A little life was saved and a big dog had found a new purpose.

Article written by Jenny Smith