Canine loyalty and protecting the safety of the pack

Dogs have long been a source of love and inspiration due to their unwavering commitment to their companions. Regardless of the type, canines never take friendships for granted -- canine loyalty is paramount among all breeds.One dog in Atlanta, Georgia, proved his loyalty when Michael Mason spotted the four-legged hero outside of his local church on July 22, 2014. Standing over his injured friend, the

named Herman protected his fallen companion by the side of the road. Mason was so touched by the gesture that he snapped a photo of the duo, sending it to a friend and asking for help.According to WSB-TV Atlanta, the image took off and went viral, even earning a Facebook post from actress Kylie Szymanski, one of the stars of AMC's "The Walking Dead." Following the massive popularity of the photo, Herman was picked up by Fulton County Animal Services - the employees provided his moniker. They're hoping to find the hero dog a

overseas to seeing-eye companions guiding vision-impaired owners, there's no shortage of uplifting stories about the loyalty of canines. Cesar Millan, the renowned dog trainer, discussed the long-winding history of dog companionship and the

.Dogs are naturally pack animals, making friendship a standard aspect of their personalities. Whether the pack is made up of humans or other dogs, these furry friends love to be part of a collective. Whenever they lose a member, even for a short while such as soldiers deploying overseas or owners going on long vacations, dogs feel like a part of themselves is missing.They're also an affectionate species with instincts that cause them to form bonds. They want to share love and feel it, too. This drives dogs to contribute to their pack and protect fellow members from danger. With Herman and his injured friend, he was following his natural instincts to watch over a member of his proverbial family.The relationship between dogs and friendship dates back thousand of years. Herman is merely one example of the loyalty and companionship that canines exhibit when the people - or animals - they love are hurt or in danger.