MINNEAPOLIS — A family’s decision to rescue a dog on the brink of being euthanized in Minneapolis has been returned in spades.

Just days after Christi Smith brought TaterTot home, the 10-month-old pit bull sensed something was wrong with Smith’s 4-year-old son in the middle of the night. Smith says the dog kept whining and barking after jumping on her son and licking his face. Smith said she found her son, Peyton Anderson, was barely breathing.

After rushing Peyton to the emergency room, doctors ran a series of tests and found out the boy’s blood sugar was dangerously low.

Smith said she believes the dog she rescued, saved her son’s life. And, while Smith earlier planned to foster the dog until a permanent home could be found, TaterTot isn’t going anywhere — he’s become part of the family for good.