When a rescue puppy aptly named Tiny Tim needed help learning to walk on three legs following an amputation, a generous canine named Nemo patiently demonstrated.
The video, posted on TikTok on Aug. 28, shows Nemo, a Siberian husky mix, energetically hopping across a room while his front right paw dangles limply. Tiny Tim then takes his cue and follows in Nemo’s footsteps.
@northernreachnetwork Little Tiny Tim being taught to walk with e legs like his foster bro Nemo. His amputation was today. He is doing well. #puppytiktok #northernreachrescuenetwork #rescue #dogsoftiktok #puppies #tripod #love #cute #puppies ♬ Funny – Gold-Tiger
Erin Manahan, president of Northern Reach Network, tells PEOPLE that the Canadian animal rescue organization took Tiny Tim in on Aug. 23.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(472x0:474x2):format(webp)/husky-teaches-puppy-to-walk-090823-4fc1b67afb7d4dc4898373d741637057.jpg)
The pup, from an area of northern Ontario called Deer Lake, was attacked by another dog while playing outside.
Because no veterinarians were located nearby, Tiny Tim was sent to Northern Reach in Thunder Bay to receive treatment and the love of a foster home. Three days after the puppy’s successful amputation surgery, a group called Pilots for Paws transported the little dog to Southern Ontario to be adopted.
The sweet video of Tiny Tim learning to walk on three legs was taken while the pup was staying with one of the Northern Reach Network’s board members, who works with dogs with mobility issues. She’s had Nemo, who’s also a rescue pet, for about five months now, and he “loves all the fosters,” Manahan says.
Both canines are husky mixes. Tiny Tim is about two months old, while Nemo is approximately seven months old.
Manahan says Tiny Tim has been “doing amazing” since his walking video went viral.
The video has racked up more than 164,000 views and nearly 6,000 likes on TikTok since it was posted in late August.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(470x0:472x2):format(webp)/husky-teaches-puppy-to-walk-090823-1-a51e90a2c81d471096a70a1c1d6f8a61.jpg)
“Oh my goodness, that’s so amazingly sweet,” one commenter wrote in response to the clip on the social media platform.
“You’ve got this little guy, big bro loves you so much,” read another comment.Dog Missing Leg Spreads Confidence as Therapy Pet for Children with Limb Differences (Exclusive)
“Amazing how quickly dogs adapt to situations, and big bro helping so sweet, the one in the background checking that things are going smoothly,” a third TikTok user noted.
“People seem to really love it,” Manahan says. “They love how Tiny Tim seemed to imitate the other dog.”
“I think it shows how empathetic they are with each other and how caring they are,” she adds.
Another recent viral TikTok video showed a different canine’s act of kindness toward another. In that clip, a dog named Wicket helps a blind rescue puppy named Sherman by adapting her play style to better suit the pup’s needs.