Maternal instincts are as powerful as the force of Mother Nature herself. Just take Nellie, the farm dog, for instance. As soon as she met Rudolph, the rescue piglet, her maternal instincts flipped on like a switch, and she has loved him like he was her baby ever since.

Not only is their relationship super adorable, but it also proves that maternal instincts are a universal force that transcends any one species.

According to this video, Nellie chose Rudolph from the moment she laid eyes on him, even though she lives at an animal sanctuary where there are more than 80 pigs around her at any given time.

Every day, she will shadow him, guard and protect him from the other animals in the sanctuary, even picking fights with other dogs or pigs to protect Rudolph when she has to.

If Rudolph squeaks, she will be there to check on him to make sure that he is okay. She even sleeps near him, just to make sure he’s safe. And obviously, she loves licking him to make sure that he is clean, LOL.

Related: Precious Puppy Ignores Mom’s Calls Because He’s Too Busy Cuddling With His Cow Siblings

Social media had all kinds of feels from learning about Nellie and Rudolph. Instagram user reyesspat wrote, “If animals understand anything, unfortunately, it’s feelings. They are full of kindness, empathy, and love. And Nellie is all that and more. A great mum, sweet and compassionate. She loves Randolph.”

While Instagram user vaiamcginnity put forth a theory as to why Nellie chose Rudolph when they wrote, “I think it’s instinctual… I think she senses something in Randolph & she’s filling that void for him.”

And Instagram user allee_in_hair_grey_era opined that animals, regardless of the species, seek out connections just like humans do when she wrote, “Is Randolph the first piglet Nellie has come into contact with? I think animals connect, just like people do. Nellie is his ‘person,’ and he is hers… Interspecies relationships are so special. Animals don’t see or judge differences.”

Nellie Follows Rudolph Everywhere

As this other video shows, Nellie follows Rudolph everywhere, even into the snow. In this footage, Rudolph got to experience the snow for the first time, which he absolutely did not like.

He didn’t like how cold his feet were, and after being in the snow for only a moment, he was already running back towards the house so that he could warm up.

And of course, Nellie was right behind him every step of the way, running after him as he headed back towards the house to make sure that he was okay.

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This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Feb 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.