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According to a report published by iHeartDogs on October 26, 2023, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier named Leala came back to her family wet, barking and tugging at them. She led them to a dam where a two-year-old boy, Alexander, was found face down in the water and not breathing. The report says he was revived with CPR and later recovered. The account is credited to “Lisa Brockbank via GodVine.” We could not independently confirm it, so every detail below is attributed to that published report.
What happened at the dam, according to the report
The iHeartDogs article sets the story in Brisbane, Australia. A man named David was spending time outdoors with his family and friends. Alexander, aged two, was expected to be playing with Leala, the family’s Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
At some point Alexander was no longer in view. The report says Leala then went to David and tugged at him. David did not grasp the urgency at first.
Why was the dog soaking wet?
The report describes Leala as wet and barking when she came to David. That detail is the clue the headline relies on. It suggests she had been at or in the water before she came back. The article does not explain how she got wet beyond that, and it does not say she entered the water to reach the boy. We therefore can’t say more than that she returned wet and agitated.
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What did the dog do?
As reported, Leala did three things:
- She left the boy’s side and sought out an adult.
- She barked and pulled at David to get his attention.
- She led him to a nearby dam, where Alexander was found.
The report credits her with raising the alarm, not with rescuing the child. Nothing in it suggests she did anything beyond alerting people and guiding them.
Did the child recover?
Yes, according to the report. Alexander was found face down in the water and not breathing. David and friends performed CPR, and the article says he began breathing again. He was hospitalized and spent two days in a coma. The report says he later recovered.
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- Durable & Lightweight: Ripstop material with thick foam padding and reinforced stitching for long-lasting comfort and strength
- Head Support & Rescue Handle: Front float helps support the head and neck; strong top safety handle for lifting and assisting your dog in an emergency
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Who gets the credit: the dog or the CPR?
The article gives both credit. It says doctors attributed Alexander’s survival to the timely CPR. It paraphrases David as crediting Leala’s alert for getting them to the boy in time. The two claims fit together. The dog’s warning brought the adults to him, and the CPR was what restarted his breathing. The report contains no direct quote from David. No incident date, hospital or named doctor was given, and we found no medical records, so the medical details rest on the article alone.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to take from it, and what not to
This is one reported incident, not evidence that dogs reliably detect drowning or will always raise an alarm. A pet’s odd behavior, such as sudden barking, tugging or coming back wet, is worth following up. It is not a substitute for supervising children near water.
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A note on pet CPR guidance
The American Red Cross has a Pet CPR page, and its Cat and Dog First Aid online course includes CPR. This material is for dogs and cats. It was not part of the reported incident and should not be used as guidance for rescuing a child. Its instruction to “Continue CPR until you reach a veterinary hospital” applies only to pets. For people, a first-aid course covering children and infants is the relevant training, and you should check current course details with the provider.
Quick Recap
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