Mom-to-Be Practiced Swaddling on Her 80-Pound Bulldog-'You're a Beautiful Baby Boy'
Before a baby arrives, someone will tell you to practice swaddling. What they will not tell you is what to practice on. Jupiter's mama figured out a practical solution all on her own. The solution weighed 80 pounds and was already at home.
The TikTok from @jupiterthebulldog captures the whole thing. The caption: "& then he loved it and y'all loved it so it became a daily thing. " His mom's text overlay says it plainly: she needed to practice swaddling before her baby arrived and she used her 80-pound bulldog.
Jupiter had no idea what was about to happen.
Meet Jupiter. He is an English Bulldog, predominantly white with red markings and built like a very warm, very happy piece of furniture. He's what people affectionately refer to as a chunka monka boy and that tracks. He is 80 pounds of hefty, hearty and ready-for-anything energy and his mama's willing assistant for any task at all. There's no job too small. No job too big. And, no job too embarrassing, including this one.
@jupiterthebulldog & then he loved it and y'all loved it so it became a daily thing. #onthisday#jupiterthebulldog
original sound - Jupiter
First, the Arkansas Razorback blanket came out. A large throw blanket was needed because Jupiter is not quite as small as he might imagine. Things needed adjusting almost immediately. "We're just gonna do it between your legs because you're a little big." The tucking happened. The folding happened. The diamond fold was attempted with full commitment. When it was all over, Jupiter's little feet were still popping out the bottom.
Then, mama earnestly asked: "I have swaddled you. How do you feel?"
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Jupiter accepted the whole thing with complete calmness.
"You're a beautiful baby boy."
He absolutely was. He is. The swaddle worked perfectly ( almost). At least mom wasn't practicing diapering. Thankful for small mercies.
What started as nervous preparation became something much better. Jupiter loved every second of it. The routine stuck. A daily ritual and a little extra time with his mama before the new baby arrives. That is the kind of dog he is.
Science Says Your Dog Has Been Training You for Parenthood All Along
Turns out practicing on Jupiter makes a lot more sense than it sounds.
According to research from Shelly Volsche, a Clinical Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Boise State University, humans are actually hardwired to take care of others. Not just their own children. Others in general. Volsche found that this same instinct to care for beings who are not biologically ours flows naturally toward the animals living in our homes.
Her research looked at nearly a thousand people and found that dog and cat parents across the board reported high levels of training, play and care with their animals. People without human children were especially likely to use words like "mom" and "kids" when talking about their pets and to see them as real individuals. The connection was not make-believe. It was genuine.
As Volsche reminds us, "who and when we parent is much more flexible than you might initially believe."
So no, practicing swaddling on your English Bulldog is not weird at all. It's just how humans are built. You needed to nurture something. Jupiter was there. The blanket was big enough.
After a few more months of daily practice Jupiter's mom will be a pro. Jupiter gets a little extra one-on-one time with his mama before the baby comes. He's been getting her ready for this all along.
He just weighs 80 pounds and his feet stick out.
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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 4:52 AM.