The debate over whether dogs truly make facial expressions may not be settled in research labs, but social media appears to have its answer. Just ask the thousands of people laughing at a Golden Retriever named Maui, who’s managed to capture everything from sass to longing in one short video. His owner’s playful take has convinced fans that emojis may have been invented with dogs in mind.
Instagram video shows Golden Retriever being very expressive
Maui the Golden Retriever has left his fans in stitches after his owner posted a video showcasing just how many emotions he can convey with his face. The clip begins with text across the screen reading, “Dogs don’t really have facial expressions.” Seconds later, Maui disproves that claim with an impressive display of looks, each one resembling a familiar emoji.
The first expression shows Maui channeling the face of frustration, mirroring the scrunched-up look of the emoji often used to convey annoyance. Then, while sitting sweetly on the couch, he transitions into big puppy eyes with a pose that could melt just about anyone’s heart. In another scene, Maui rests his head on his owner’s lap, embodying the “eyes” emoji as if to say, “I’m watching you.”
The fun continues when Maui sticks his tongue out to the side for a goofy look identical to the zany emoji. Then, while lounging on the bed, he delivers the unimpressed “eye-rolling” emoji face like he is throwing a little tantrum. Naturally, no Golden Retriever montage would be complete without drool, and Maui gives the perfect impression of the “drooling face” emoji while clearly eyeing a treat behind the camera. He wraps up his performance with tongue-out silliness and even a pained grimace, once again showing just how versatile his expressions can be.
The responses from viewers were as animated as Maui himself. One user commented, “They totally do. Mainly puppy eyes here.” Another went a step further, quipping, “Emojis were created by your face,” as if Maui had single-handedly inspired modern texting culture. Others laughed hardest at his drooling scene, with one saying, “Maui literally drooling all over got me,” while another chimed in that their own pup “acts spicy all the time.”
