While on one of her rescue missions, Amber — founder of Heart of the Underdog, a Texas-based rescue — spotted a black dog darting across a busy road.
Worried she might get hit by a car, Amber quickly pulled into a nearby parking lot, got out, and began speaking softly to the dog.
It didn’t take long for Amber to realize that the dog was a nursing mother, desperately trying to care for her babies.
She hurried into a store, bought some food, and offered it to the mama dog, leaving plenty for her to eat.
Amber searched the surrounding area for her puppies, but despite her efforts, she couldn’t find them that day. She gently promised the dog she’d return for her and her little ones the very next morning.
Rescuing The Furry Family
When Amber came back the next day, the mother dog, later named S’mores, led her straight to a garage where she had been living with her pups.
After receiving permission from the property owners, Amber entered and began the rescue.
The sight broke her heart. The conditions were far from ideal, and the puppies had been hiding behind lawnmowers. But as soon as they saw Amber and their mom, they excitedly came out to greet them.
Friendly and curious, the pups were easy to gather up.
Heart of the Underdog placed them in a foster home, where they eagerly awaited the day their mom would join them.
The adorable litter — estimated to be around four weeks old — was given sweet names: Cinder, Flint, Blaze, Graham, Embers, Marshy, Toasty, and Cocoa.
Since capturing S’mores proved more challenging, Amber enlisted the help of an experienced trapper named Emily, who successfully lured the mama dog into a crate.
The reunion was pure joy — tails wagged, and the puppies bounced happily around their mom.
S’mores was taken to a vet for a thorough checkup, and to everyone’s relief, she tested heartworm negative.
Finding Their Happily Ever After
After spending some time with her pups, S’mores was listed for adoption. It didn’t take long for a wonderful couple from Wisconsin to fall in love with her and offer her a forever home.
Now renamed Maggie, the once-stray mama dog is thriving and enjoying every moment of her new life.
All of her puppies eventually found loving families — except for Toasty.
Everyone at the rescue has nothing but praise for the little pup and hopes her perfect family will come along soon.
“She learns VERY quickly and is also crate AND potty trained! She has her playful puppy moments, but also loves to cuddle up for snuggles on the couch. Her foster mom describes her as a total sweetheart,” Heart of the Underdog wrote on Facebook.
If you’re looking for an affectionate, charming pup to welcome into your home, consider meeting Toasty — she just might steal your heart.