Brave Dog Guards Goats Amid Firework Fears, Wins Hearts

Quick Smiles:

• Huck, a 3-year-old Maremma sheepdog, guards his goat family despite being scared of fireworks
• Video of Huck’s bravery goes viral on TikTok with over 1.4 million views
• Experts suggest behavior modification techniques to help dogs overcome their fear of fireworks

A video of a brave livestock guardian dog named Huck has captured the hearts of millions on TikTok. Despite being terrified of fireworks, the 3-year-old Maremma sheepdog refuses to leave his goat family in Alberta, Canada. The video, shared by @younghomestead, has garnered over 1.4 million views.

Jules Warner, a stay-at-home mom with a small homestead in central Alberta, told Newsweek that Huck lives full-time with their herd of goats. The viral clip shows Warner sitting with Huck in a stall near the goats, with the sound of fireworks in the background. She said, “The whole time he was shaking with fear. Even though he was so terrified, I couldn’t get him to leave duty. His goats are his family and, above his own fears, he wanted to make sure they were safe.”

@younghomestead

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear Huck is the bravest boy, keeping watch over his herd while he himself is terrified #livestockguardiandog #maremma #dogswithjobs #goatherd #goatsoftiktok #homestead #homesteadlife #canadianfarmer

♬ original sound – 🇨🇦 Jules | Young Homestead

Huck’s fear of fireworks is not uncommon. A 2015 study published in the Applied Animal Behaviour Science journal found that around 23 percent of dogs were fearful of noises, with fireworks being the most common trigger. This fear can represent a serious welfare issue for dogs.

Huck was raised alongside the goats and sees them as his family. Warner said he has protected them from foxes and stray dogs, and can be heard barking at coyotes every night. One night, when Huck was young, he got so scared by fireworks that he ran away and hid in some bushes. Knowing he would be terrified again, Warner went to the barn to sit with him when fireworks went off recently.

Despite Warner’s attempts to calm Huck down, he wouldn’t lie down or take his eyes off his goats. “Whenever another batch of fireworks went off, he would get up and poke his head out of the stall to watch them and make sure they were safe,” she said.

TikTok users praised Huck for his bravery, with comments like “what a brave boy!” and “Bless his heart!”

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