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Rescuing an animal is an incredibly rewarding process for everyone involved, and one grateful dog has delighted viewers on TikTok with his story.
Henry the golden retriever was found chained up in a tunnel in China in August 2020, emaciated and with open wounds. He was luckily then adopted by a family in the U.S., and is now thriving. They have since rescued another golden retriever, named Kit.
In a video posted to the page @hangingwith_henry, Kit the golden retriever can be seen lying on her new bed tail wagging and "smiling." The video has been viewed over 542,000 times.
"POV: your new rescue dog can't stop smiling once she realizes that she's home," reads the caption. "Welcome to the family Kit," reads the caption.
One user on TikTok commented: "That's actually a submissive smile, she's a lil nervous, but SO cute nonetheless."
Dog owners often describe them as "smiling" and it's common for people to anthropomorphize their pets, but what does it mean when dogs smile?
According to dog food specialists Purina, dogs smile "when they open their mouths and pull back their lips, letting their tongues lap over their teeth. This 'dog smile' usually occurs in situations when they are relaxed and appear happy, which is why dog owners think it is 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."
Another user on TikTok commented: "Those are appeasement signals." "They may flick their tongue and often hold their tail low or between the legs," agreed VCA Animal Hospitals. "They may wag their tail but will often stop wagging or freeze when touched. These postures are often described as 'appeasement' behaviors because they communicate a desire for the threat to stop and no desire for confrontation."
Whatever Kit is "smiling" about, users on TikTok loved the video.
"OMG this sweet baby is so happy! What a wonderful happily ever after," said one user. "I love this, this little doggy gets a second chance to have a loving home because of you!."
Newsweek has reached out to @hangingwith_henry via TikTok for comment.
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.
About the writer
Leonie Helm is a Newsweek Life Reporter and is based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on all things ... Read more