Pet dog's frantic face-licking at 2 a.m. for weeks left this owner annoyed — until a camera showed it was a desperate attempt to keep them alive

For a Reddit user, their Shih Tzu–Maltese mix became a hero after the little dog alerted them to a hidden danger. The dog parent was feeling distressed about their canine companion's unusual habit of licking their face when they were fast asleep, which went on for weeks. In their post shared on Thursday, November 20, 2025, the OP revealed that the shocking reason behind their dog's behavior was caught on camera, which ultimately saved their life. 

Dog parent u/fastingslowlee was annoyed by their fur baby for often waking them up from sleep at 2 a.m. "I was wondering why she doesn't [sic] just sleep instead of being playful so late!" they wrote. Desperate to find the reason behind this strange behavior, they set up a camera in their room, which revealed the shocking truth. According to the dog owner, they stop breathing in the middle of their sleep, and it was their canine who desperately tried to alert them.  As soon as the dog sensed the change in her master's breathing, she would start licking them, ensuring they would wake up and breathe again. The dog parent realized that they would stop breathing after their snoring cut off, falling into a sudden, troubling silence. "She somehow noticed each time and was rushing to try and wake me up so I could breathe again!" they explained. 

If it weren't for the four-legged hero, the Reddit user would have never come to know! Take, for instance, elderly man Tom Braun, who wouldn't have survived if it weren't for his service dog's timely intervention. One night when Braun was experiencing a "choking dream," Jack sprang to wake his owner and began barking loudly. But when Braun opened his eyes, he saw his T-shirt covered in blood. He realized that the bleeding came from a prior periodontal treatment, which caused a blood vessel to open up behind his teeth. As he lived alone with his dog, this could have ended tragically with no human intervention. Thanks to the loyal companion's quick thinking, Braun was able to be rushed to the hospital on time. 

Soon after the Reddit post gained views, many online users chimed in to share their thoughts. u/candypant-rainbow commented, "Wow. Dogs are the best. Amazing." Sharing a story about their friend who was saved by her cat, A cardiac ICU nurse (u/giantblueox) advised, "Sleep apnea has serious long term effects, especially on your heart so please go get worked up for it!." u/3lbowMacar0ni, who had a similar experience, wrote, "My Chiweenie has woken me up for the last few years and I was so annoyed! I got my CPAP last month, and she sleeps through the night unless she has to go potty now."