We really don’t deserve dogs, but at least we can award them for being so wonderful.

This July, a six-month old golden retriever named Todd saved his owner, Paula Godwin, from a rattlesnake bite. He was recently crowned winner of the first ever “Milk-Bone Dog of the Year” award at the 8th Annual Streamy Awards for his heroism… and virality.

There are probably a thousand poems, cookie fortunes, calendar quotes and memes about how we don’t deserve dogs, all of them true, but we can do our best to celebrate them however possible. And so this year, the Streamy Awards, which honors the best in online video and its creators, added a category for dogs, “the Internet’s favorite animal.”

Streamy Awards creator, Drew Baldwin, told Billboard, “The world wouldn’t be the same without dogs, lives are often transformed because of them, and it’s time that we honor all the joy they give to us.”

Although the adorable competition was stiff, this year’s winner was Todd, a dog we told you about here at Life With Dogs back in July when he stepped between his owner and a rattlesnake while out on a hike, nearly losing his life in the process.

Todd braved the snake, and all the medical treatments that followed after being bitten, and his story — naturally — went viral.

He beat out two other contenders for the Streamy: Louboutina, “The Hugging Dog,” who found Internet fame for giving warm hugs to everyone she meets on the streets of New York City, and Pierre, a costume-donning therapy dog who who brings smiles joy to the patients at UCLA’s Mattel Children’s Hospital and travelers at LAX.

Online vote determined the outcome and Todd received a trophy and a customized piece of art from the Streamys for coming out on top.

Todd’s owner, Paula Godwin, first shared their harrowing tale on Facebook just after it happened: “So this morning was up bright and early to go on a hike on seventh street, carefree. It was a beautiful morning, but as we were walking down the hill I literally almost stepped on a mf rattlesnake. But my hero of a puppy Todd saved me. He jumped right in front of my leg where I surely would have got bit. This is what a hero looks like. Please say a little prayer for my sweet hero.”

Little Todd spent 12 hours at the vet where at times it was touch-and-go, but thanks to quick medical action and anti-venom – he made it! Godwin wants to make sure other pets will be able to get the same treatment.

“We are ecstatic because this is the first ever Milk-Bone honor, so everyone is going to remember Todd the hero dog,” she told Billboard. “We were able to start a fundraiser to help other pets, raising money for dogs who can’t afford anti-venom. There’s a lot of people out there who can’t afford the $500 dose and their pets die because of it.”

Check out Todd and all the other finalists here:

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Laurie Bercerra says she’s getting her dog, Smokey, a life jacket after surveillance video of her other dog, Remus, saving him from the swimming pool went viral.

Bercerra’s husband noticed one of the dogs was all wet and checked their video to see what had happened. She posted the amazing scene to Facebook when the incredible scene was revealed.

Bercerra noted that Smokey can’t swim very well, and the video shows him paddling at the edge of the pool, but unable to get out. His “brother” Remus, quickly stepped in to help, at first trying to pull Smokey out.

Eventually, though, Remus — like a lifeguard! — jumps in himself and uses his own body to help Smokey out of the pool. Unscathed and no worse for wear, Smokey simply shakes himself off and the two resume playing together.

“When we saw the footage we were amazed and our hearts filled with joy,” a friend of Becerra told The Dodo. “My best friend cried when we sent her the video. She says he’s a certified lifeguard now.”
Becerra wrote on Facebook that her husband had stepped inside the house for a few minutes and the dogs must have broken through a fence meant to keep them away from the water. She added that they “play around pool all the time with no incidence,” but she’s now ordering Smokey a life vest just to be safe.

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Being deaf and partially blind didn’t keep Max, a 17-year-old blue heeler, from keeping a lost child safe after she’d gone missing in the wilds of Australia, eventually aiding in her rescue, as well.

Police have honored him for his role in the positive outcome.

Little Aurora went missing on Friday, vanishing into the wilderness of rural Queensland. An emergency crew was out looking soon after, but couldn’t find her location. She remained missing throughout the rainy night.

Max, however, kept her good company — and perhaps warm — and helped lead Aurora’s grandmother, Leisa, who had heard the child’s cries, to her location.

Max, described as half-blind, was hailed a hero by police. He was proclaimed an honorary police dog on their Facebook and Twitter feeds.

Aurora was in good shape, suffering only a few scratches during her ordeal, and was in high spirits, as well.

Emergency Services Coordinator Ian Phipps told reporters for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that Aurora was discovered more than a mile from home.

“The area around the house is quite mountainous and is very inhospitable terrain to go walking in, so she’d traveled quite a distance with her dog that was quite loyal to her.”

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Max is deaf and partially blind, but that didn’t stop him from keeping his tiny human safe in the wilds of the Australian bush. Photos: Queensland Police

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GOOD BOY, MAX!!!!

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Pete was a 14-year-old senior, an English setter and former hunting dog who had only been with Stephen Parisi and his family (and four other dog siblings) for 18 months. They were good ones, spent running in the woods in a happy-go-lucky manner.

And that’s how his family wants to remember him.

Pete was hiking with Parisi and the other dogs at Monksville Reservoir in New Jersey this past weekend when they came upon a black bear.

It is believed the bear was sheltering and, because of that and the recent rain, was unable to smell them coming and so they surprised it.

Brave Pete held the bear off while Parisi made off with the other dogs, securing them in a safe spot, then returning to shoo the bear.

Parisi’s wife, Cathi Henn, told the BBC: “The bear’s only exit was a 180-degree turn and the bear was never going to turn its back on something that it was scared of, so it came for Stephen and the dogs.”

Sadly, Pete’s injuries were grave, among them a broken back. Parisi, unable to carry his friend, wrapped him in a waterproof coat and dragged him along the ground by its hood for more than a mile before reaching the car. Cathi and a family friend helped take him to Oradell Animal Hospital.

Upon thorough examination, which revealed injuries that would have left him unable to walk again, Parisi and Henn made the decision to let Pete go peacefully and without pain.

“I want to remember him as the happy-go-lucky dog he was. I want to remember him running through the woods, always with his tail wagging,” Henn said.

Since posting the story on Instagram, Pete has gone viral, with people from all over the world responding and paying tribute. It has been a surprise to the couple, who took Pete in as a foster 18 months ago. He was originally from Ohio, given up by his owner when he became too old to hunt.

“Thanks to everyone who have offered their condolences, I didn’t expect anything like this,” said Henn. “We were just upset about our dog. We are just devastated. All this love for Pete is great but we’d happily trade it for just one more day with him.”

Henn and Parisi said that Pete loved to be the center of attention and would have enjoyed all the fuss.

“Older dogs can give so much love, Pete turned out to be our hero too.”

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When Marika was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer, it was Stella — the dog she decided to adopt — who taught her lessons about something more important, even, than survival. She taught her how to “live life while she was still alive.”

Follow her on Instagram!

Great video from The Dodo.