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By Leonie Helm
Life Reporter
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An adorable two-month-old puppy has gone viral on TikTok in a heartwarming video with over 5 million views.
In the footage, Koda the tiny puppy can be seen sitting comfortably in his owner's arms, smiling at the camera. The text reads: "Hey TikTok, meet Koda my little smiley boy."
"I would literally take a bullet for Koda," said one user.
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The OP @seijohrich didn't disclose the breed of the small black dog, but users in the comments suggested Koda could be a Schipperke, a breed that originated in medieval Belgium.
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According to the American Kennel Club, the small agile breed was originally utilized to catch rats on canal boats in Europe, and they are "fearless watchdogs on barges and in city shops. It was among the sailors and shopkeepers of Brussels and Antwerp that these quick, agile dogs earned the nickname 'schipperke', Flemish for 'little captain'."
Can Dogs Smile?
Some dogs have incredibly expressive faces, appearing at times to smile at their owners, just like Koda in this video. But, is this simply another example of owners anthropomorphizing their pets, or are they actually smiling at us?
According to an article from pet food specialist Purina, dog smiles often occur when our pets are relaxed and appear happy, leading owners to think it's a smile. "These 'dog smiles' also often occur in response to a human smile, which is a phenomenon called laughter contagion. Dogs may appear to smile because we smile at them."
In an article published by USA Today, veterinary specialist Dr. Lore Haug reported that some breeds such as Doberman Pinschers, terriers and cattle dogs, to name a few, appear to smile more than others.
"It is essentially an appeasement greeting behavior that seems to be directed only at people," Haug says. "Dogs don't do this true smiling behavior to other dogs," she said, adding that smiling is a form of submission, similar to exposing their stomachs or lying flat on the ground.
Non-profit animal welfare organization the Michelson Found Animals Foundation suggests that the "submissive smile" is a rare behavior used to communicate to other dogs and humans "that they are not interested in fighting, they want to be friendly."
It said: "You can distinguish a submissive smile from an aggressive one by reading accompanying body language. Submissive body language includes a low-hanging tail, a raised paw, laid back ears, eyes glancing off to the side and a generally relaxed body posture. Contrarily, submissive smiling can also be accompanied by fast-paced, over-exaggerated motion."
Newsweek has reached out to @seijohrich via TikTok for comment.
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