Mum savours Marmite puppies

But the mum is now starting to show more interest in the litter after the pups had their backs smeared with Marmite.

The puppies' mother, Witherford Orange Flip, known as Ella to her owners, gave birth to the puppies on July 10 and all the youngsters are fit and healthy "much to the vet's surprise".

Ella gave birth by caesarean section and was too unwell to care for her pups straight away, leaving Miss Morris to bottle feed all 11 dogs.

The boxer puppies are all now old enough to eat solid food, and their mother is beginning to bond.

Miss Morris tried to encourage Ella to look after the puppies by dabbing Marmite on their backs in a bid to get her to lick them, as a mother usually would.

This seems to have done the trick as mum is now sleeping with her puppies through the night.

The puppies are now six-weeks-old, eating solid food and growing well.

Miss Morris said: "The puppies range in size from 4lbs to between 8 and 9lbs, but are all fit and healthy."

Eight of the boxer puppies have new homes to go to when they are old enough to leave their mother, leaving three who have not yet been rehomed.