A bond from birth: As each little puppy makes its entrance, its mother carefully tends to its first needs — licking and cleaning her newborn to stimulate breathing and to encourage nursing. As her newborn puppies knead and suckle, she curls her body around them for protection and warmth – hearts beating in unison. Every lick, which is a doggie kiss, reinforces the mother-puppy bond.

Care and protect: A mother dog whines to alert her humans if she’s separated from her puppies. She paces nervously back and forth between a tiny still-unseeing puppy that scoots to the other side of the room and the rest of her litter. When necessary, a mother dog will put herself between her puppies and danger. She won’t let strange dogs approach, and if she senses that a human might harm her little ones, she issues a warning growl. Source: The Nest