Yeah, I often wonder about the almost mythological powers people give to dogs in these news reports.
The dog took a bullet and died, likely sparing a child, whether he knew it or not. There are many accidental heroes. Let people have their moment of seeing something transcendent and good in this, if for nothing else to help those traumatized kids who had the windows shot out of the vehicle in which they were traveling and lost their dog because of it. They no doubt loved that dog.
Thou dost wonder too much......
My dog is not allowed on my bed. Ever.
One night I dreamed that my heart was racing and I was on the brink of a heart attack if it kept on racing. I felt a sudden weight on my chest that woke me up to find my heart was racing in reality.
My dog had leaped on the bed and was laying on my chest, which woke me up. After waking, I was able to relax and get my heart rate to slow.
I’m not saying my dog saved my life from a heart attack, but it reminded me that dogs have a sense of trouble and then act without inhibition. Call it mythology or whatever you like. I just call them “dialed in” to things we miss. Whatever it is, there is deep body of history where dogs have been of great service to their owners in a wide variety of ways that defies simple explanation.