A father has been criticized as “reckless” for provoking his American bulldog to protect his newborn daughter in a controversial stunt.
Massi, a man from Italy, pretended to strike his weeks-old baby, Sophie, to test how his dog, Mino, would respond. The act alarmed the dog, who reacted by lunging at his owner. Many viewers expressed concern for the child’s safety after the video was shared online.
In the clip, Massi is seen miming a slap at his baby, who lies on a bed with Mino sitting protectively beside her. Believing the child was in danger, the dog becomes visibly distressed and intervenes, jumping and nipping at the father. “Mino defends his little sister like a real big brother,” Massi captioned the video.
The clip has since gone viral, amassing over 204 million views. While some praised Mino’s apparent loyalty, others called Massi’s actions dangerous and irresponsible.
Sydney-based veterinarian Dr. Tim Montgomery, an expert in animal behavior, strongly condemned the stunt. “Pretending to threaten your baby to provoke a reaction from your dog for the sake of content is not something I can endorse or understand,” he told FEMAIL.
Dr. Montgomery further criticized the desire to encourage protective behaviors in dogs, calling it a projection rooted in hyper-masculinity. “Most dogs will live in calm, loving family environments without ever needing to protect babies from harm. Placing these expectations on pets only creates unnecessary confusion and stress,” he explained.
Many commenters echoed Dr. Montgomery’s concerns, warning of potential dangers. “This is how pit bulls and similar breeds get unfairly labeled as aggressive—because of thoughtless actions like this,” one viewer remarked.
Another added, “Mino is a good dog, but stunts like this could easily lead to an accident, risking the baby’s safety.”
