THESE cute puppies may be relatively small in stature right now, but they’re going to grow into the ‘gentle giants’ of the dog world.

The thirteen newborns, born seven weeks ago at Purbeck’s popular Seven Stars pub, are old English mastiffs.

Their dad, Dexter – who is as close to a local celebrity a dog can be – tips the scales at almost 15 stone.

Landlord Steve Turland explained: “Obviously, we cannot keep them but we’d love them to go to good homes. It’s been a hectic few weeks, pretty tiring as we were feeding them every two or three hours.

“Thirteen is a big litter, but by no means a record. A normal litter is around eight to 10.

“They’re just getting fun now, they’ve started running around the place and wrestling each other.”

The puppies’ two-year-old mum, Looby Choos, is also doing well.

Customers frequently ask Steve to have their photographs taken with Dexter, who is quite a draw in his own right at the Seven Stars.

“He’s got to be one of the most photographed dogs in world,” Steve told the Daily Echo. “The amount of people who come into the pub and ask to have their photographs taken with him is unbelievable.

“He’s so sweet and gentle, a real gentle giant of the dog world. We even have a picture of him in his ‘doggles’ behind the bar.”

Dexter is often spotted sporting the doggles – special canine goggles – to protect his eyes when he’s taken out in the car.

“We’ve got a soft top and when we drive he’ll sit in the back and wear the doggles to protect his eyes,” said Steve.

“Other drivers almost crash off the road when they see him just sitting there.”

For information on purchasing a puppy, contact the pub on 01929 462 292.