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Couple struggling to get pregnant adopted a rescue dog for support — weeks later, his peculiar behavior led to a test they never expected

The owner said she had instantly fallen for the pet, who seemed to sense her struggles with getting pregnant and never left her side.

BY BAISAKHI MISHRA

PUBLISHED 7 HOURS AGO

(L) Sad African-American couple after negative pregnancy test result, (R) A young woman and her Shar-Pei napping on a couch. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Prostock-Studio, (R) fStop Images - Winnie Au)

A couple struggling to conceive adopted a dog, who changed their lives forever. Rachel Muniz said she and her husband always wanted kids, but they were unable to become parents for the longest time. Amidst the stress, they decided to adopt a dog, Apollo. Rachel shared her unbelievable story on Pets Best Insurance Services' YouTube channel in 2017.

A sad couple hugging each other. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | SDI Productions)

"I saw Apollo, and I fell in love," Rachel said, explaining how the dog knew she was struggling to get pregnant and always stayed by her side. A couple of months later, she noticed Apollo put his snout on her abdomen—something he had never done before. "He just rested there for quite a long time, and I was like, what is this dog doing? That was abnormal behavior," Rachael added. Puzzled by Apollo's actions, the owner took some pictures, thinking he was trying to tell her something, and three weeks later, Rachel found out that she was pregnant.

A couple lounging on the bed with their dog (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Boris Pavlikovsky) — A couple lounging on the bed with their dog. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Boris Pavlikovsky)

From dealing with infertility issues to delivering a healthy baby boy nine months later, Rachel's life took the most unexpected turn. "Donovan was born nine months later, healthy and happy. Looking back on that moment now, I realize how special it was. He can't speak English, but he tells me in his own way how much he loves us and this baby," she revealed. Apollo, a 75-pound dog, refuses to grow up; in fact, he loves to play and jump just like a puppy, Rachael said. "When that baby came home, I had never seen Apollo so gentle, and now two and a half years later, they are inseparable. They are best friends. It's beautiful," she explained.

A pregnant woman sleeping on the couch with her dog (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Amina Filkins) — A pregnant woman sleeping on the couch with her dog. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Amina Filkins)

Dogs predicting pregnancy is fascinating, but it isn't stranger at all—thanks to their strong sense of smell that detects even the slightest change in odor. During pregnancy, a mother goes through several chemical and hormonal changes, resulting in a unique scent. And this shift in odor is something that dogs sense faster than anybody else, a post by Pedigree says. Once canines realize the change, they may react differently around the expecting mothers. Just as Apollo began putting his snout on Rachael's abdomen, other dogs may display altered behaviors.

For instance, some may start becoming a little extra affectionate or protective towards their owners, while others may bark or growl more than usual. This is exactly what happened when a woman noticed that her dog, who wasn't always very affectionate otherwise, unexpectedly started lying on her stomach for a long time. "She sleeps in bed with us, and I’ve woken up a couple of nights with her snuggled up to me and her head on my stomach. I wondered what was going on, but was enjoying the extra snuggles," the woman wrote on Reddit. Later, when she took a pregnancy test, it was confirmed that she was pregnant, and her strange dog's behavior suddenly started making sense.