As many predicted, Brian the dog returned in last night's Christmas episode of the Seth MacFarlane animated comedy and it looks like he's here to stay.

Late November, the series killed off the family dog in an episode that left many fans upset.

Now in its 12th season, the death helped ratings jump a bit.

Here's a look at the ratings for the past three episodes: 

Nov. 17 (episode before Brian's death): 4.5 million viewers
Nov. 24 (episode where Brian died): 4.6 million
Dec. 8 (episode following death): 5.4 million