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By Lucy Notarantonio
Senior Reporter
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A viral video of a Yorkshire terrier puppy reacting to her father's bark has racked up more than 1.9 million views on TikTok.
The June 18 clip, shared by real estate agent Kaylin Arguedas (@kaylinarguedasrealestate), shows the puppy standing beside her father by a tree in the backyard. The dad appears to anticipate a threat and lets out a bark. In an instant, the puppy sprints back to Arguedas, who is filming the moment.
Text layered over the video reads: "She hears her dad about to bark which means go to your human for safety."
Read More on Pets
The post has since amassed over 441,000 likes, with users offering differing interpretations of the puppy's behavior. Newsweek reached out to a dog behaviorist to find out more.
In the comment section, theories about the puppy's motivation quickly took off. One top comment with more than 40,000 likes suggested: "No, she stood by you to protect you."
Another user wrote: "[She] ran over to protect you! If she was running for safety, [she] would've stood behind you."
A third commenter said: "Don't worry dad! I got your back! … From right here"
What the Expert Said
Nicole Kohanski is a dog trainer and founder of Wiggle Butt Academy in Dallas, Texas. She told Newsweek that, while it may appear the puppy was acting protectively, guarding behavior isn't always a positive sign—especially when directed at nonthreatening people or animals.
"When a dog guards their owner from friends, family, or other known dogs, it is considered undesirable guarding," Kohanski said.
She added that what looks like protection can often be a controlling or anxious response, not a measured defensive action.
Signs of Undesirable Guarding
Kohanski outlined several common warning signs that a dog may be guarding inappropriately:
- Body-Blocking: Standing stiffly between you and another person, especially with direct eye contact, growling, or barking.
- Quick Interpositions: Rushing between the owner and someone approaching—even familiar individuals or pets.
- Distance-Increasing Signals: Behaviors such as lip licking, turning away, or stiffening, escalating to growling or lunging if ignored.
- Whale Eye: When a dog keeps its head still but watches someone out of the corner of its eye, revealing the whites—a key signal of discomfort.
- Circling or Herding: Some dogs may try to herd their owners away from perceived threats, even when none exists.
What Is Desirable Guarding?
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Not all guarding is bad. Kohanski said that dogs alerting to genuine potential threats—such as strangers approaching the home—is a normal and often desirable response.
"Barking at potential intruders is one of the most-common signs of guarding that is desirable," she added.
To prevent this instinct from becoming overactive or misdirected, Kohanski said that owners should teach dogs a release cue to signal that the situation is safe.
"Something as simple as saying, 'Thank you—friends*'* can let the dog know the visitor is welcome and it's time to relax," Kohanski added.
Newsweek reached out to @kaylinarguedasrealestate for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.
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