The adorable bond between a cane corso and his favorite toddler was on full display as they cuddled up to each other, and the moment has melted millions of hearts across the internet.
Crystall Wardally, 26, captured a heartwarming video of her 1-year-old daughter, Stormi, offering a loving hug to her canine bestie, Draco. During the clip, Wardally, of Orlando, Florida, asked Stormi if she could have a hug from her daughter, but the toddler clearly thought Draco needed it more.
The 4-year-old cane corso is incredibly gentle and patient with Stormi, as Wardally told Newsweek that “their bond is beautiful” to observe. The toddler could be seen stroking Draco and patting his head, before getting comfortable beside him. The dog hardly flinched and allowed Stormi to move around him freely, showing just how much he loves her company.
“I was asking Stormi for a hug, and she refused to give me one, but instead gave a hug to Draco,” Wardally said. “Draco looked back at me like, that’s right, that’s his baby. I felt sad honestly because she would rather give Draco a hug than me, but I understand. It was a very sweet moment.”
Wardally loves documenting their bond on social media (@officialstormiblu on TikTok and Instagram), and she couldn’t resist sharing the video of Stormi hugging her four-legged friend. Since the video was shared on January 5, it has gone viral with over 1.6 million views and more than 177,600 likes at the time of writing.
The caption layered over the clip explains that Stormi “only gives hugs to her baby.”
After discovering that she was expecting, Wardally wasn’t sure how Draco would react to the new addition. He was previously quite jealous, so the mom feared that he would want all her attention instead of the newborn. However, the reality couldn’t be further from that as Draco is always so calm and patient around the toddler.
“It took a lot of time, patience, and training for all of us. Watching their bond grow has been one of the most beautiful things to see. There’s so much trust and affection between them, and it feels like a connection that will only get stronger,” Wardally said.
She continued: “Stormi and Draco balance each other out perfectly. Stormi is expressive, curious, and full of personality, whereas Draco is calm, observant and protective. He’s always keeping an eye on her. Together, they’re playful, affectionate, and so comfortable with each other.”
Whether they are laughing, exploring or enjoying a hug, the duo are almost always together. Wardally loves seeing how much their friendship has developed since becoming a mom, saying that Stormi and Draco are “like best friends who bring out the best in each other.”
Wardally regularly shares videos of her toddler and cane corso together, and the online reaction to this TikTok video has been overwhelmingly supportive. Hundreds of social media users took to the comments to praise their undeniable bond, with many praising Draco for his unwavering calmness.
Among the 216 responses on the video, one comment reads: “That’s Draco’s baby, not yours momma.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “Oh she’s so gentle with that dog! And you can see he loves her!”
A third person replied: “Draco looking at you to say this is my baby, what a cute double act.”
One commenter said: “Draco looked back and said, ‘I’m the mama now!’”
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