Kate Gosselin Breaks Down in Tears as She Admits 'Strain' of Adopting a Malinois Dog Has Been 'A Lot'

Tabitha ParentTue, May 26, 2026 at 8:46 PM UTC

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Kate Gosselin tears up in a May 26 TikTok video.
Credit: Kate Gosselin/TikTok -

Kate Gosselin is sharing an emotional update on her journey with her new rescue dog, Koda

In a May 26 update posted to her TikTok account, Gosselin, who was the star of Jon & Kate Plus 8 between 2007 and 2017, broke down in tears as she let followers in on how integrating Koda into her house had been going

Gosselin first revealed she was adopting a rescue dog on her social media in April and has since captured the highs and lows throughout the process on her social media

Kate Gosselin is sharing an update on her adopted rescue dog, Koda.In a May 26 TikTok post, the former Jon & Kate Plus 8 star became emotional as she let fans in on day 12 of the process of integrating Koda into her home, where she already has another dog: her German shepherd Meika."I was just crying this morning," Gosselin began her video. "I'm tired. It's getting to be a lot, which makes me sound like a baby, but the truth is, I've just been on watch constantly hoping nothing, you know, happens and watching them all the time." Going on, Gosselin compared managing the two dogs' schedules and lifestyles to raising her eight children, before adding, "I am 51 now. I'm not 29, 30. So it's just gotten to be a lot."

Koda and Meika, Kate Gosselin's two dogs.
Credit: Kate Gosselin/TikTok

In April, Gosselin announced that she had successfully secured adoption papers for Koda (then named Chiqis), and that she and her boyfriend, Steve Neild, would be welcoming the dog into their home sometime in mid-May."Koda is a humongous personality," she added of the Malinois mix puppy in the May 26 clip. "She is now very obsessed with her ball, equally as Meika, and she could run forever. So, we're seeing the humongous energy of a malamute now, and I'm really starting to doubt myself." Gosselin then broke down some of the specific troubles she had run into while introducing Koda into her house, including the amount of mental and physical stimulation that the dog needs.

Online, Gosselin, who is a longtime dog lover (particularly German shepherds), shares updates on her life as a dog mom with her followers.

In December, she announced that her beloved German Shepherd Nanuq had died. "I will spend the rest of my life missing you NuNu," she wrote in an Instagram post. "Life will never be the same. I loved you more than life itself. I'm so sorry I couldn't save you.""Steve went to work, and so I'm with them today," she explained in the video. "And I always turn on Bob Ross painting when we're on the TV, when we're together. So I try to keep them calm, and I take them on walks."Gosselin also began to cry once more after pointing out that Koda had destroyed a rug, as well as Nanuq's bed. "It's our favorite bed. I've had it for, gosh, 15 plus years or more," she said, before adding that the bed was "very special" to her.Gosselin then said that she would be starting training with Koda soon. She added that while the "pressure" and "strain and stress" had been "weighing on" both her and Steve, she was aware it was part of the rescue process. "But at the end of the day, probably no one else would have saved her," Gosselin added. "So I know that we're doing a good thing. We just have to hang in."

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Kate Gosselin and Steve Neild.
Credit: Kate Gosselin/Instagram

In the comment section, internet users offered their support for the former reality TV star. "You got this! You will have these days and it's so overwhelming. I know you can do this. You are amazing and mindful.🩷🌸All my positive vibes!" wrote one user."Please remember it's ok to get overwhelmed and it's ok to cry!! You've gone from knowing your day to day to learning so many new things! The fact that you're doing probably what no one else would do, in and of itself speaks volumes of who you are. When you need a break, separate them and give them a snuffle mat, after a walk, of course. They will have mental stimulation and you will have a break you need. You are doing great: don't lose sight of that!! 🥰🥰🥰," another added. In a reply, Gosselin thanked the user, adding "Thank you. I'm trying… my very hardest!"Another user pointed out that Gosselin had previously mentioned wanting to get a smaller dog earlier on, to which she replied, "I did but this is the one steve approved 🤷‍♀️." Another user responded, pointing out that Malinois puppies require extensive care and attention and suggested that Neild should have considered that before making the decision.Gosselin, who went social media official with her former bodyguard last year, teased that she and Neild had been in a relationship for over a year in October 2025. She first revealed in September that she was in a relationship, telling her TikTok followers that she was "super, super happy." She went Instagram official with Neild in November. While sharing "10 things I'm obsessed with" at the time, Kate posted snaps of her kids, dogs, traveling, friends, pizza, her health and her boyfriend. "My boyfriend😍," she wrote over two images of herself and Neild at the time.

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Kate shares her eight children with her ex Jon: twins Mady and Cara, 25, and sextuplets Alexis, Hannah, Leah, Collin, Joel and Aaden, 21. "My kids always worried about me being alone when they were grown. This makes them so happy too," Kate wrote on TikTok in October. "Which of course makes me even happier!"

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