Hearts have well and truly been melted after witnessing the sweet moment a Newfoundland was caught playing a gentle game of chase with two 4-week-old puppies.

Dog owner Bethany Davis, from Hubbard, Oregon, watched how eagerly their huge Newfie Gus enticed the tiny puppies to play with him, despite being much smaller than him. Once they finally responded and started chasing him around the yard, Davis couldn't resist sharing it on TikTok (@nottabear) to delight her social media followers.

While the puppies don't belong to Gus, Davis joked that he is "their token uncle" and he takes that role very seriously. She told Newsweek that he "tries so hard" to get them to play whenever he can, and he's always incredibly gentle with them.

In just a matter of days, the video of the 2-year-old Newfoundland, nicknamed "Gus Gus," playing with the tiny pups has gone viral on TikTok. It has already generated more than 1.1 million views and over 41,400 likes at the time of writing.

Davis said: "Gus really wants the puppies to play chase, but he isn't sure how to get their attention to chase him. When they are all out playing, he will usually lay close by, sniff them, and see if he can get anyone to play.

"A couple of them started following him and there it began. He was so excited to get them to play, but compared to his big steps, it takes a lot longer for them to chase him. He's very careful with them and he knows he can't just run around at full speed."

Gus may tower over the small puppies, named Green and Gold, but Davis loved seeing how gentle and patient he remains with them.

Newfoundlands are known for their large frames, standing up to 28 inches tall and weighing up to 150 pounds according to the American Kennel Club (AKC). While they are giants of the dog world, the AKC also highlights that they're very playful and make the ultimate nanny dog for children.

How Did TikTok React?

There's no doubt that Gus loves fulfilling his role as uncle, so there will certainly be many more special moments to come as the puppies grow and engage with him even more.

Davis told Newsweek: "I am so thrilled to have caught this moment between Gus and the babies. Not many breeds can do this with their litters, and it really speaks to the sweetness of this breed.

"The reaction has been surprising. I'm shocked because that number of views is hard to fathom, but it is the cutest video I've ever seen. Of course, everyone is asking for a puppy now, but it takes a very special family for us to place a puppy, as each ones takes a bit of us with them."

Gus's antics have delighted many social media users since going viral, earning plenty of praise online for him being so gentle and playful. The clip has already amassed over 480 comments on TikTok, as one person wrote: "Big floof playing with little floofs."

Another TikTok user responded: "There is that hit of serotonin I was chasing."

While another comment reads: "So cute, no matter their size!"

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.