Eight puppies were born in the back of a Winnipeg police car while officers responded to a call on Thursday. (CBC)

Eight puppies were born in the back of a Winnipeg police car while the officers were responding to a call on Thursday.

The officers were on regular patrol when they noticed a couple of dogs wandering in traffic near Mountain Avenue and McPhillips Street around 2:30 a.m.

They were able to coax the dogs into the rear of their cruiser, luring them with food purchased at a local convenience store.

While on their way to take the dogs to an animal shelter, the officers responded to a call for assistance in regards to a man with a gun seen in the 800 block of Redwood Avenue, just a few blocks away.

The officers were on the scene of the weapons incident for about four hours while the dogs remained in the back of the cruiser.

After the incident was over, the officers returned to their car to discover the female Labrador/Shepherd cross had given birth to eight puppies.

The canine family was taken to the city's animal pound, where two more puppies were born.

The owner of the dogs was located, and after paying a fine for letting his dogs run loose, went home with both dogs and the new brood.