Anyone who’s ever had a big dog knows what an enormous mush they are. They can be timid and gracious, especially given their size, and they never seem to realize just how big they actually are. Stella is a gargantuan gal, and no matter how rambunctious the puppies are, Stella is always sweet and docile with them.

Elvira Boling fosters newborn (bottle) puppies for San Antonio Pets Alive, and though it can be a ton of work with a lot of sleepless nights, she has helpers: Stella, of course, as well as two Mastiffs, Zoe and Tessa.

“Zoe, the bigger one is great with them once she warms up to them, they scare her at first,” she told Life With Dogs.

“Tessa is our special case – she’s suffering from very advanced arthritis, she was born with very bad knees, had surgeries – so it’s not the easiest for her to move around, so she gets a bit grumpy at times. She’s like our police here, separates fights and rough playing.”

But Stella’s the favorite big sister. Her most recent foster, Harley, immediately glommed on to her. And though she’s been quite a rascal, Stella is ever patient and caring.

“I always take a lot of pictures and videos of Stella with puppies to show adopters and people that giant dogs are very gentle and there’s nothing to be afraid of,” Elvira told The Dodo.