Skip to content

Video of Maple Ridge pup tackling ‘brother’ goes viral on TikTok

Family were taking a walk on Pitt Meadows dikes when TikTok takedown occurred

A short video of some traditional rough housing between a young boy and his pup on the Pitt Meadows dikes has reached over one million views on social media app TikTok.

Alysha Stowell, who shot the footage while out for a weekend stroll with her husband, two kids, and their pair of golden retrievers in January, said the new-found fame is “totally unexpected.”

“I’m new to TikTok, and I thought, I might as well post it, it’s kind of funny,” she said.

The video shows five-year-old Zachary holding a size-able stick with the intention of tossing it for his puppy brother, Zeke.

Lacking any patience whatsoever, the nine-month-old dog leaped on Zachary, knocking him to the ground, before grabbing the stick away.

The little boy shows some grit by popping back up and chuckling.

READ MORE: Thor the dog a viral Okanagan sensation

“I was surprised when it got 100 likes,” she noted. “And next thing I know, it kind of blew up.

As of publication, the short video had 1.4 million views on TikTok.

“I think it’s reached all the way to Asia,” Stowell said. “I have people commenting in all kinds of different languages I have to translate.”

The family lives in Maple Ridge, and walk the dikes each weekend rain-or-shine.

“My son and [Zeke] have always had a really fun banter back-and-forth,” Stowell said, “It’s like a brotherly relationship.

“So I figured why not pull out my phone, and try to capture those moments.

“In the original video [shown below] Zeke has his own stick, but it wasn’t until he saw Zachary with a different one, that he actually dropped his own to go get the one my son has.”

She, as well as many commenters on the video, complimented Zachary on how he took the tackle.

“My son takes it like a champ,” Stowell proudly noted. “He’s always been a tough kid who doesn’t really cry unless he’s really, really hurt.

“He likes it,” she said of the rough play between him and Zeke. “He thinks it’s fun.”

Now the video has gone viral, Zachary is even more pleased.

“He’s telling everyone that he is TikTok famous,” Stowell said.

“He thinks it’s really cool telling his kindergarten teacher and all his friends.”

The puppy is also drawing his fair share of praise.

“Some commenters are saying the Philadelphia Eagles should take him as their first-round pick, or that he looks like [former Baltimore Ravens star] Ray Lewis in his prime.”

With the new-found attention, Stowell said she is trying to be quicker on the draw with the camera these days.

“I’ll try to make sure I capture any funny moments, because there have definitely been a few in the past that I haven’t had my phone quite ready to get.”



ronan.p.odoherty@blackpress.ca

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

24065390_web1_210128-MRN-RO-dog-tackle2
Zeke might have a future with the B.C. Lions if he keeps working on his tackling technique. (Special to The News).
24065390_web1_210128-MRN-RO-dog-tackle3
Happy-go-lucky-Zachary has been praised for his hardiness in the comment section of the viral video. He popped right back up – chuckling – after being tackled by his puppy buddy, Zeke. (Special to The News)