Family's German shepherd saves boy, 6, from potential dog attack

A video of a German shepherd saving a young boy from a potential dog attack has recently gone viral on TikTok.

Posting the short but heartstopping clip to the social media platform, TikToker and mom @lovehenesy94 told her followers that their neighbor's dog "randomly charged at my son last night and my Tanky saved him from getting mauled or worst [sic]."

As per Newsweek, the footage shows the six-year-old boy playing out on the grass before the dog from across the road comes charging toward him. Tank, the family's German shepherd, immediately springs into action, stopping the canine from getting anywhere near the child and preventing a potential incident.

As of this writing, the video has since been viewed almost 27 million times.

Check it out below:

Upon seeing the heroic act, users left comments commending Tank for his bravery.

"Getting your son cover [sic] and redirecting the other dog so seamlessly away from your son. Such an amazing and smart dog," applauded one user.

"THE BEST BOY!!!! I’d feed him steak for a week straight if mine did that. you’re blessed to have him," added another.

A third also reiterated how quick and efficient the German shepherd's actions were: "The German Shepherd even [looked] back to make sure the child was safe!! This blew me away."

Credit: TikTok Credit: TikTok Credit: TikTok

Others also praised the second dog, a grey pitbull, that also came to help when he sensed the danger, with one person writing: "I love the pittie coming from behind like HELP IS ON THE WAY!!!"

And another also quipped that the other dog came as "back up."

Credit: TikTok

According to Sharon Waddington - a former police officer in the US who has worked alongside German shepherds for almost three decades - German shepherds are known to be protective due to their natural instincts.

"They were selectively bred to herd sheep and have the desire to protect. Their alertness, agility, and initiative to protect vary from German shepherd to German shepherd, but they can be protective without training, as their natural instincts can inspire them to defend their owners," she writes on her website, World of Dogz.

"They cannot just perceive threats but can even process what might happen if they don't act. Moreover, their emotional radar is strong enough to pick up on your anxiety even if the situation hasn't been established as a threat to them," Waddington added.

Once again, Tank has just proved that a dog is really a man's best friend!

Featured Image Credit: NVPHOTO / Alamy (Stock photo)