Parents panicked when their pet dog suddenly charged at their baby — then his yelp revealed something shocking in his mouth
Sometimes, a family pet turns out to be much more than just a companion. Moments like these remind us how deeply animals can connect with and protect the people they love. In a video shared in 2023 by a TikTok user who goes by @socialproblem38, a couple recounted a terrifying yet incredible moment that changed how they saw their dog forever. The clip features parents Bryan and Alicia Holloway, their baby Bryson, and their dog Shiloh, who quickly became the family hero after an unexpected and dangerous encounter in their own backyard. At first, panic set in when they saw their dog charging toward the baby. They had no idea Shiloh was about to save the day.
“Tyler was lying over there, and he jumped up all of a sudden and ran towards the baby,” Bryan explained, pointing to where the dog had been resting. “And for just a moment I had that brief flash of, ‘Oh my gosh, he's going after the baby,’ and just the way he charged towards him.” What looked like alarming behavior quickly revealed itself as pure protection. As the video’s narrator revealed, “They didn't know at the time, but Shiloh was protecting Bryson from a copperhead snake.”
Bryan continued describing what happened next. “Couldn't really see, but he grabbed something, jumped back, and then kind of jumped up straight up in the air and yelped a little bit.” That’s when they realized Shiloh had been bitten on the jaw by the snake. “And then it dawned on me that he literally grabbed that snake from the feet near the baby's foot.” The bite caused Shiloh’s neck to swell so much that they had to remove his collar. It was a close call that left the parents shaken and grateful. Alicia added, “Such a little body, I honestly don’t think he would be here. I don’t think we could have made it to the hospital. Best-case scenario would have been a 50/50 fighting chance.”
As the shock subsided, relief turned to awe. Alicia recalled that Bryson had started running back and forth on the porch, laughing, smiling, and talking, and she felt that the Lord spoke to her, saying He had protected the baby and placed the dog there to keep him safe. Since that day, Shiloh has been getting extra love from the family. Alicia said that since Shiloh had protected Bryson, he had been babied a lot and that they were very grateful for him.
The story resonated with many across the internet, prompting people to share their own experiences in the comments. @mrs.schwartz2021 recalled her personal experience, "My dog just did the same thing with my daughter the other day. He wouldn't stop barking and wouldn't let her near that spot." @novcat shared, "Love this! My daughter’s best friend at that age was an Aussie. Amazing dogs." @alphawolfkennels mentioned, "Yes, my girl did this with me once, we were walking at night and she lost her mind barking in front of me, and when I flashed my light, it was a big black snake."