Golden retriever gives birth to ultra-rare green puppy named 'Shamrock'

​A golden retriever in Florida gave birth to an ultra-rare green puppy named Shamrock just two weeks before the St. Patrick's Day. 

The owners, Greg and Carole DeBruler, were left shocked when they noticed that the green hue on the newborn was not rubbing off. 

'Mom cleans them, we clean them, and it comes off - hers didn't. This is rare,' Carole said in an interview with PEOPLE. 

'My hubby and I have been raising puppies for almost 17 years now and we have never seen something quite like that!' she added. 

Carole, who works at Golden Treasures Kennel in Pensacola, Florida, explained that while it's not uncommon for light-colored puppies to have a tint when born, it typically fades away shortly after birth. 

A golden retriever in Florida gave birth to an ultra-rare green puppy named Shamrock just two weeks before the St. Patrick's Day

Shamrock, born on March 3, is the smallest among her siblings, all of whom sported golden or near-white coats

Carole DeBruler (pictured), who works at Golden Treasures Kennel in Pensacola, Florida, explained that while it's not uncommon for light-colored puppies to have a tint when born, it typically fades away shortly after birth

Shamrock, born on March 3, is the smallest among her siblings, all of whom sported golden or near-white coats.

After several cleanings, the dark green stain on Shamrock's fur transformed into a 'bright, bright lime green,' according to Carole.

'And she stayed lime for a good while,' she added. 

In a clip shared on the TikTok account @living_the_golden_life, the green puppy stood out amid the creamy tones of its littermates as they nursed from their mother. 

'Little Shamrock was born lucky! She is a rare pup whose white fur was stained in the womb with biliverdin,' Carole wrote in the caption.

The first video of Shamrock quickly went viral, amassing more than 8 million views and thousands of comments. 

Despite being the smallest, Shamrock thrived, growing healthy and happy. She also developed the strongest personality among her mates. 

'She just shines. She was small, but she was feisty,' Carole said. 

Despite being the smallest, Shamrock thrived, growing healthy and happy. She also developed the strongest personality among her mates

A month after her birth, Shamrock's green hue began to fade, as depicted in a photo shared on social media

The first video of Shamrock quickly went viral, amassing more than 8 million views and thousands of comments

Carole explained that Shamrock's unique coloring was the result of being stained with biliverdin, typically caused by bile salts in the mother dog's womb.

A month after her birth, Shamrock's green hue began to fade, as depicted in a photo shared on social media.

Meanwhile, Shamrock spent her time wrestling with her siblings, displaying the same playful energy and zest for life as any other puppy.

'She's just fun to watch,' Carole said, adding that Shamrock was also the top pick for her future family. 

 'The gentleman getting her has just retired, and she will be his world. He loves her already so much,' she said of Shamrock's new owner. 

 'She's so loved now, and she's going to be so loved in the future — and that makes me happy.'