Experienced rescuer Leslie Hennings said it’s not uncommon for stray dogs to protect puppies on the street.

“There’s a lot of dog fights [among strays] because of food,” Hennings told The Dodo. “They’re just starving.”

To protect his adopted litter from other strays, the adult dog placed himself in front of whomever he deemed a threat, “shielding them in any way,” Hennings said.

You can watch the dog protecting his puppies here:

But the adult dog who appeared so tough was also scared, and in need of protection himself.

“He was putting up a brave front [as if to say], ‘No one’s gonna touch my puppies,’” Hennings said. “But when it was time [to go], he hid under a car and didn’t want to come out.”

Eventually, the woman captured the scared dog and brought him and his puppies back to her property while they waited for transportation to their foster homes.

There was no fence at the woman’s property, but she figured the dogs would stay close to the food she put out and blankets she laid down.

“[The puppies] wouldn’t stay,” Hennings said. According to Hennings, one or two puppies tried wandering off every day that they were there, but their adoptive dad would always find them.

“They would escape, and the dad would just bring them back,” Hennings said.

Days later, volunteer pilots offered to take this loving, adoptive dog father and puppies to their foster home at White Rock Dog Rescue. Now they’re safe and under the same roof, waiting together for their forever homes.

Although they might not all be adopted together, the dutiful dog and his sweet puppies will always be family.