Bernese Mountain Dog's Expressive Eyebrows Leave Viewers 'Hypnotized'

A Bernese mountain dog is making lots of friends online, thanks to his extraordinarily expressive eyebrows.

Marvin is described on his Twitter bio as a "Bernese Mountain Dog with a splash of Great Pyrenees." He already boasts close to 10,000 followers on the social-media platform.

Much of that has to do with the clips that his owner, Christine, regularly shares online. This latest video provides the perfect showcase of one of Marvin's most adorable features: his eyebrows.

Dogs are a constant source of amusement to animal lovers on the internet, especially Bernese mountain dogs. Highlights include one of the breed attempting to cuddle a cat and another tricking a couple into adopting them.

Despite these antics, the jury is still out on whether canines themselves generally have a sense of humor. World-renowned dog expert Professor Stanley Coren said some breeds do. However, he added that it often comes to the fore at the expense of their owners.

Coren told ABC Radio Adelaide that the concept was first put forward back in 1872 by Charles Darwin himself, who often spent time studying the emotions of animals.

"He suggested there are things that dogs add to their play that seem to be the doggy equivalent of practical jokes," Coren said. "The most typical one is their game of 'keep away'. If you toss something to a dog, he'll grab it, run a distance away, then drop it on the ground and wait there until you come close, then grab it and run away."

Marvin certainly seems amused in the clip shared online with his comical expression proving a source of some considerable delight to viewers on Twitter. "My spidey-brows have been activated," a caption alongside the video reads. Fans had their own interpretation, of course.

One described the dog's brows as "two woolly caterpillars," while another felt they were "so expressive." A third thought it was all "very cute," while a fourth was left "hypnotized" watching the footage.

While Marvin may not be aware of the impact his eyebrows are having, his owner Christine told Newsweek her dog's hilarious expression in the clip is partly down to his personality. It is a mix of "old soul with a touch of grumpy old man."

Born in October 2020, Marvin is three-quarters Bernese mountain dog and one-quarter Great Pyrenees. He has a very distinct personality as well as a glorious set of brows.

"His brows are very expressive and are constantly on the move," Christine said. "They've been referred to as caterpillars, broody brows, woolly worms and spidey-brows."

Away from starring in videos for social media, Marvin is like any other dog. He can be found enjoying walks and playtime around his home in Toronto, Canada.

"He loves going to the dog park, the beach and on walks around the neighborhood," Christine said. "He likes to play with his squeaky toys. No stick is too big or too small."

Christine said that she posted the video online because "some of Marvin's Twitter followers have commented on his expressive brows so it's kind of become a thing."

However, Christine is keen to stress that there is so much more to Marvin. "His brows are just another facet of his personality and have become part of his Twitter story," she said. "I'm just happy to know it brings some joy and levity to the online community."

Asked what it is about the video that has proven so popular, Christine added: "Maybe it's because, just like how humans struggle to understand the world they live in, so do dogs. People can relate to that and get a chuckle out of it as well."

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.