Kids and pets are an adorable combination but always warrant some caution and adult supervision.
Of course, no one has to worry about that with Loki and Tallulah – mom is around recording them and snapping photos all the time. And it’s not just for her own memories. Since The Dodo posted a video about the pair of besties in April of 2018, it has been viewed over 15 million times!
Dynamic duo
Loki the German Shepherd has been a protector and friend to his human sister Tallulah since the moment she was born.
He’s been around to watch her play and give her big, sloppy kisses (which she returns in kind!).
According to dad, Ryan, Loki wasn’t always so low-key.
In fact, it looks like he lived up to his mischievous moniker!
But when the little girl was born he immediately fell into the role of responsible role model. And if you’ve ever had a German Shepherd you know they can be very head-strong, so this family got lucky!
“I have a German shepherd and I can confirm, they understand authority and just don’t care. I tell him to come to me and if it’s in a serious tone, he’ll come. But if it’s not he’ll just look at me like ‘okay but why,”’ confirmed one viewer.
The dog could have easily felt jealous at all of the attention the new addition was getting, but he decided to make her a sidekick instead.
The family sometimes refers to Tallulah as Loki’s “pet human.”
Fitting in
For her part, Tallulah has always been fascinated by the German Shepherd.
“Tallulah has no fear. She was very intrigued at Loki,” shared Ryan in their video for The Dodo.
And Ryan is just relieved that it all worked out. Loki isn’t a fan of authority. He knows all too well when someone is trying to discipline him, he just doesn’t care. But his sister has mellowed him.
Loki always knows where Tallulah is and is usually right by her side. He’s perfectly happy to stare at her for hours as well!
These two are constant companions.
Lucky with Loki
Of course, not every naughty dog turns over a new leaf after a baby enters the mix. In fact, it’s more common for them to develop some anxiety at first. That’s why it’s important for parents to make a plan to keep an animal’s life as predictable as possible in the face of upheaval and dole out some extra attention.
While small children should never be left alone with animals, introducing them to each other as soon as possible is key.
Dogs also need to learn that only their toys are playthings so there’s never competition over an object.
But most importantly, all children (but especially toddlers!) need to be guided to be gentle with and respectful of animals.
The reaction
As you might imagine, the vast majority of the millions of viewers loved Loki and Tallulah’s story, especially Loki’s journey from naughty to nice.
“I feel like when dogs sense the fragile nature of some creatures, their paternal instincts really kick in. It’s freaking beautiful,” said one commenter.
Be sure to scroll down below to watch their sweet video and see just how much this dog really loves his little girl.
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