A couple from Maryland got a German shepherd to protect their home—then they realized what went wrong.
In a hilarious video shared on Instagram in December by @lifeofdaxshepherd, the pup, Dax, a big fluffy German shepherd, can be seen walking up the stairs looking like a giant puppy while holding his favorite alligator stuffed toy in his mouth instead of guarding his home.
“This is who we chose to protect our house,” the caption says. “They’re a two-man team.”
The poster, Tricia Aronow, told Newsweek that Dax is a big dramatic German shepherd who takes his “job” of protecting his family very seriously—but he’s also incredibly gentle and affectionate.
“In the video, he’s coming upstairs to bed with us, carrying his new favorite stuffed alligator, which he brings along like a little sidekick. After everything he’s been through this year—knee surgery, loss of his littermate sister, loss of his human cousin, and his own health challenges—moments like this mean a lot to us,” Aronow said.
“He’s strong, loving, and deeply attached to his people, and the stuffed toy is his comfort item. So while he looks like our fearless protector, he’s also just a sweet boy who wants to be close to us at the end of the day.”
Aronow believes that German shepherds are often misunderstood as tough or intimidating, but Dax is a reminder of how gentle, sensitive, and loving they really are.
“He’s a protector, yes—but he’s also a big softie who carries his favorite toy to bed,” Aronow said.
The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 2.1 million views and 71,900 likes on the platform.
One user, Shepherd.sisterss, commented: “Looks like a great choice to me.”
Joolsbro said: “That’s okay. Almost everyone enjoys a cuddle in bed. He’s just a young boy with his cuddle toy. Perhaps you had one too.”
Another user, Goldentaber3, wrote: “When he needs to be the protector, Dax shows up. He is relaxing at the present time.”
Lizc561 added: “King Dax reporting for duty with a helper.”
Other users shared their own experiences with German shepherds as protection dogs.
Alfie_the_old_sea_dog said: “We have four GSDs they might get in ok but not out in one piece !”
Kathypa7865 wrote: “Such a beautiful dog. We had a German when I was 12, over 20 years ago. He died of cancer, and my love of animals is [because] of him. So loyal so protective. I miss you, BUD.”
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