The Puppy Bowl's Smallest Competitor's Mom Breaks Silence After Her Death

Sweetpea, the adorable cavapoo that stole the hearts of dog lovers at this year's Puppy Bowl, remains a fond memory in her mother's heart.

When the puppy competition concluded with a special honor to its smallest-ever competitor, viewers became curious about the late cavapoo. Now, the tiny pup's mom, Jennifer Siegel, has opened up about how Sweetpea lived and struggled with congenital disabilities.

Sweetpea's mom, Siegel, broke her silence about the late dog in an exclusive interview with The Blast and shared some of the most adorable photos with us.

The director and founder of Bosley's Place — a volunteer-run rescue orphanage in Atlanta — expressed gratitude for her organization's specialty in neonatal orphaned puppies, as it helped her meet the adorable cavapoo.

When asked if she remembered Sweetpea's arrival at her rescue, Siegel fondly shared, "I recall the day that she arrived very clearly. It was July 20, 2023, and I had just moved a litter of foster puppies out of my home, and I wasn't feeling well (later that night, I tested positive for COVID)."

She was ready to take a break when she got a call from Sweetpea's breeder, desperate for help. The woman had taken the pup to a local veterinarian in Chattanooga, where they advised her to "let nature take its course."

However, Sweetpea's breeder wasn't about to give up on the tiny pup, and fate led her to the dog orphanage. "After searching the Internet, she found my rescue. She was so distraught. She did not want to see this puppy die from starvation in her home; she felt so helpless, and I just couldn't say no," Siegel recalled, adding:

"I dispatched one of our volunteers to make the trip to Chattanooga. It's about an hour north of us, and she brought her right back to my nursery. When Sweetpea arrived, she was in very rough shape, guarded at best. She was severely dehydrated, hypoglycemic, listless, unable to nurse, and barely breathing."

Siegel noted the pup came to her rescue at just two weeks old after being born "20% the size of her siblings." Sweetpea had been failing to develop with her mother, which was why her breeder desperately searched for a solution.

"She stayed with me in my home, where we have our critical care puppy ICU. Once we figured out that she was littered with congenital defects, including hydrocephalus, a hole in her heart, gastrointestinal issues, and deformed kidneys," the rescue owner explained, adding: "I knew she would stay with me permanently."

Despite her health struggles, Sweetpea stole the hearts of everyone she met, with Siegel being no exception. When asked to describe the late dog, she heartily chimed:

"The best way to describe Sweetpea would be 'the sweetest little pea.' She was a sweet, ridiculously adorable, determined little fluff nugget that captured the hearts of people all over the world from a very young age."

Siegel had plenty to share about the late cavapoo, whose favorite activity was giving kisses. "Her second favorite activity would be playing with the different litters of foster puppies that came through the nursery," the pup's mom continued, noting Sweetpea even had a little boyfriend named Bestie.

That wasn't all; the Bosley's Place founder claimed the pup was an "incredible force of love, inspiration, and positivity." This little dog positively impacted the rescue and those around her with her resilience and zeal for life, with Siegel noting:

"Sweetpea taught me the lesson that a little 1.7lb puppy could have such an incredible impact on the lives of so many, and it sounds so cliché, but I witnessed it first hand."

Following Sweetpea's arrival, Siegel started the social media trend of "Daily Dose of Sweetpea," which touched the hearts of everyone who came across it. The pup's positivity continues to impact her mom to date, who revealed she is honoring the cavapoo by emulating her spirit. In her words:

"I'm saying YES to new adventures. I'm opening my heart to share love with important people in my life. I'm making every effort to embody positivity, and I'm recognizing that life lessons come in all shapes and sizes…including in the teeny tiny fuzzy frame of a 1.7 puppy."

Although the tiny pup's life was short, it was an inspirational journey, and the cavapoo's mom is proud to have been a crucial part of Sweetpea's life. She concluded the interview with a touching statement:

"The most fulfilling part of Bosley's Place is being in the position to save the most vulnerable of rescue puppies that would have no chance of survival without our intervention."

Dog lovers can donate to Siegel's rescue via PayPal/Credit Card: www.paypal.me/BosleysPlace and Venmo: @BosleysPlace.