One dog gives birth to sixteen puppies in South Dakota

Lauren Soulek/KELO

Updated: Aug 11, 2020 / 06:34 AM CDT

KIMBALL, S.D. (News Nation/KELO) — A Chocolate Labrador in South Dakota became a first-time mom of 16 puppies last week.

The average Labrador litter is between 6 to 8 puppies, according to experts. Josey was in labor for 24 hours. She started at noon and around 2 a.m., she gave birth to the 13^th.

Her owners in the central South Dakota town of Kimball went to bed thinking she was done, until one of his kids came in the house.

“‘Dad there’s 16’ and I’m like, ‘no there’s not,’” Brad Donald said. “So then we went out there and I’ll be darned, there was 16.”

Unfortunately, three of the puppies didn’t survive. The owners are now tasked with finding a home for the 13 pups, according to News Nation affiliate KELO-TV.

The family runs a Labrador training facility.