Meet 'King Charlie' – a quiet shelter dog from China who became a global alpha icon

In the crowded world of viral animals, one dog from northern China is winning hearts with little more than a quiet stare and a paw.

Nicknamed King Charlie by international fans, the white, long-haired dog has become an unlikely online icon thanks to videos showing him calmly restoring order among noisy, restless dogs at a shelter in Hebei Province.

No growling. No barking. Just a steady walk and an outstretched paw – placed gently on another dog's chest or back – to settle disputes and restore peace.

Clips of King Charlie first appeared on Douyin – China's version of TikTok – under the account 胡子大叔爱犬部落 (Bearded Uncle's Dog Tribe), which documents the daily lives of shelter dogs.

The videos gained wider global attention after YouTube creator The Apex Canines remixed the footage into a documentary-style short, complete with dramatic music and voice-over.

That version has racked up tens of millions of views across platforms including YouTube, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter).

What followed has been part fandom, part internet theater. Social media users – many of whom cannot understand the original Chinese captions – began piecing together elaborate storylines from the clips.

Each shelter dog was given a nickname and personality: a black dog became "Thorne," a German shepherd was dubbed "Wick," and a former pack leader was named "Tyrant."

According to one widely circulated fan theory, King Charlie and Tyrant are brothers. Charlie, the weaker pup in early footage, was bullied by the more dominant Tyrant.

Over time, as Tyrant's leadership lost favor due to aggression and unfairness, Charlie rose through calm, consistent behavior to win the pack's respect. A brief on-screen scuffle between the two even prompted online speculation about a potential power struggle.

TikTokers and students around the world have taken the drama further, staging playful reenactments of King Charlie's signature moves – complete with dramatic pauses and theatrical bows. Fan art, memes, T-shirts and even a parody cryptocurrency bearing his name have since appeared online.

For now, King Charlie remains at the shelter where it all began, quietly moving among the other dogs.

But his sudden rise online has not only drawn attention to his calm, distinctive behavior – it has also sparked new interest in one of China's oldest native breeds.

He is a Xiasi Dog (下司犬) – a traditional hunting and guard breed originating from Guizhou Province in southwest China.

Bred for speed, endurance and strong territorial instincts, Xiasi dogs were once kept by Miao communities for protecting homes and tracking prey in mountainous terrain.

Their lean bodies, white coats and alert expressions are characteristic of the breed, which has existed for over 1,000 years but remains largely unknown outside China.

The breed's name, according to local folklore, dates back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). During an inspection tour in Guizhou under the Emperor Qianlong, a high-ranking official was gifted a local hunting dog in today's town of Xiasi, near Kaili. Later, while hunting with the emperor, the dog reportedly chased down and captured a wounded wild boar that the emperor had shot.

Impressed by the animal's speed and bravery, the emperor asked what kind of dog it was. To avoid offending the throne – since emperors referred to themselves as "true dragons" – the official replied tactfully, "It is a Xiasi dog," avoiding the breed's local nickname of "white dragon dog." The name stuck, and the breed became known formally as the Xiasi Dog.

Though their numbers have declined in recent decades, efforts are underway to preserve the breed's lineage. Some dog enthusiasts argue that the Xiasi is China's most globally competitive native breed – though few have ever reached international prominence.

Until now.