Dog Stops Baby from Crawling Straight Into the Ocean in YouTube Video

We sometimes take for granted just how intuitive and helpful dogs can be. They serve as guides for the blind, search-and-rescue officers, and bomb detectors, but they are also fiercely loyal to their owners — no matter how young or old. That is evidenced in a recent YouTube video from Turkey, in which a cocker spaniel shows that it is more than just a playful pup.

On the Kabak Koyu beach in southwestern Turkey, a woman is throwing a ball for the dog while her child crawls around in the sand. Small children are, of course, artful escapees, and suddenly the child is going full-bore straight at the ocean. The spaniel, dropping playtime immediately, races down to the surf and plops down in the sand between the child and the waves, drawing the family's attention just as the adventurous youngster is about to hit the water. One commenter wrote, "Face it. Dogs are better than humans." After seeing this video, it's hard to disagree.

Has your dog done anything surprisingly intelligent? Tell us on Facebook or on Twitter at @YahooTrending.