When mom Jaime Simpson noticed that her toddler daughter and their dog had suddenly become quiet, she decided to check on them and was surprised at what she found.
Twenty-six-year-old Ms. Simpson is a service dog trainer who recently moved into a new house in Jacksonville, Florida, with her family and their dog, Echo.
Her 2-year-old daughter, Halston, has been enjoying climbing inside empty cabinets to use them as hiding places since they moved.
One day, Ms. Simpson noticed that Halston, who had been happily singing to herself, had fallen quiet. This prompted Ms. Simpson to check on her and on Echo, who tends to stay close to the little girl while she plays. However, Ms. Simpson soon found that the dog was missing too.
To her surprise, Ms. Simpson told the Epoch Times, she “found them both in an empty kitchen cupboard, snuggling.”
Seeing them together, Ms. Simpson thought to herself: “Echo was so sweet to try and lay completely still for her.”
She believes his paw probably fell asleep as a result.
Needless to say, she captured the precious moment and shared the footage on social media, where it went viral, amassing comments from netizens.
“You know Echo’s paw has fallen asleep but he doesn’t want to wake her,” one social media user commented.
Another chimed in, “First time I have seen a dog get nap trapped.”
In response to the overwhelming online reaction, Ms. Simpson said, “People have been so kind. I have received so many kind messages about how the video warmed the hearts of others.”
The Australian Shepherd whom Ms. Simpson describes as “energetic, fun, and extremely smart” cuddles with Halston a lot these days.
“They had cuddled together before but not in such an odd place,” Ms. Simpson said.
The family has had Echo for three years, and when Haltson was born, he naturally took on a guardian role. Now, when the little girl gets sleepy, she’ll call him over, and Echo will find himself a spot right beside her.
“Echo follows her around and keeps a close eye,” Ms. Simpson said, adding the dog will block doorways if he feels something is too dangerous for her. In turn, Halston always makes sure Echo has a cuddle buddy and gives him plenty of gentle hugs.
A content creator, disability speaker, and advocate for dogs and disabilities, Ms. Simpson is of Tsalagi (Cherokee) descent. By sharing sweet moments between her daughter and their beloved dog on social media, she hopes to show just how compassionate animals can be.
She believes dogs are “so much more complex-minded and considerate than we realize.”
