Move over, superheroes — there’s a new savior in town, and he’s got four legs, a wagging tail and a nose for adventure.
Meet Tracker, an Alabama golden doodle with a knack for sniffing out trouble (and snacks). This delightful pup recently made headlines for a daring rescue mission that left his family — and the internet — calling him a hero.
Tracker isn’t your average pup. As a diabetic alert dog, his job is to monitor 5-year-old Paislee Landreth’s blood sugar, a task he usually handles while she’s nearby. But when Paislee went five houses away to play with friends on a snowy day, Tracker’s instincts kicked into overdrive. “Watch this incredible alert that I make as I tell my mom that my girl is in trouble and needs our help for low blood sugar,” Tracker “narrated” in a TikTok video that later went viral after Shelby Landreth, Paislee’s mom, posted it.
@shelbylandreth178 Watch our diabetic alert service dog alert to my 5 year old’s low blood sugar when she is 5 houses away on a playdate and take to to her! #kidsoftiktok #T1d #medicalalertdog #type1diabetes #diabeticalertdog #type1warrior #servicedog #T1D #t1dlookslikeme #amazing ♬ original sound – LandofT1D
What made this alert extraordinary? Paislee wasn’t just out of sight — she was down the street, tucked inside a neighbor’s home. “None of the alarms that normally sound were going off,” the video’s playful narration continued. “I was just letting my mom know we should go check on my girl.”
She’s heard stories of dogs doing things like this, but I’ve never done this before.”
Shelby said at first she hesitated at the alert. “I was just cleaning and out of nowhere he came and started pawing at me,” Shelby said. “I looked at Bryan and I said, ‘I think he’s trying to give me an alert,’ and he said, ‘But how? She’s not even here.’”
Paislee Landreth and her service dog, Tracker. Photo courtesy of the family
Undeterred, Tracker led Shelby on a snowy scent trail. “Now mind you, I did not walk my girl down to this house,” the video noted. “I have no idea what house she’s in, she left on her own.” Sniffing Paislee’s footprints, Tracker guided Shelby straight to the friend’s porch. “Being that it had just snowed, we could actually see him tracing her scent and following the footsteps all the way down the neighborhood to the neighbor’s house,” Shelby said.
Though Paislee had already treated her low blood sugar, Tracker refused to leave without confirmation. “Little did I know my girl had already treated this low [blood sugar] before I came down,” the narration added. “But I still had to see her in the flesh and know that my girl was okay.” After a quick reunion, Tracker reluctantly headed home, rewarded with a “really cool nice new bone” for his heroics.
The Landreths talk about their service dog, Tracker. Photo by WAFF
The heartwarming clip, which had tens of thousands of views, highlights Tracker’s uncanny abilities. “A service dog can smell when there’s a change and let us know before it happens or when it’s dropping,” Shelby said. “Tracker beats technology by about 15 or 20 minutes. If you’re using technology, it does have a lag time, but Tracker can pick it up exactly when it hits that point, or even if it’s headed that way.”
For the Landreths, Tracker is more than a pet — he’s family. “It’s a huge peace of mind,” Bryan, Paislee’s dad, said. “If you can, we would highly recommend it because Tracker has been literally a lifesaver.” As for Paislee? When asked what she loves most about her furry guardian, her answer was simple: “That he can save my life.”
Between snack-time alerts and snow-day adventures, Tracker’s tale is an amazing reminder of the extraordinary bond between humans and their service animals. And if you’re wondering how he celebrated his viral fame? Let’s just say that new bone didn’t stand a chance.
