Adorable Photos Show Dogs Before And After Being Called A “Good Boy” Or “Good Girl”

Karyn Bailey | November 17, 2024 7:00 pm

The way many of us speak to dogs is unlike the way we converse with anyone else. Our voices might get unusually high, we may make noises we wouldn't otherwise make, and we probably use phrases of adoration that we'd be embarrassed to say to most humans.

All of this is to get a priceless reaction from our beloved canines, which some people have captured on camera. Read on to see some heart-melting before-and-afters of dogs being called "good boy."

From Oblivious To Pure Joy

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This sweet dog was just minding his business, sitting and looking to the side. He's completely oblivious, even to the toy sitting on the ground next to him. You can tell that the person taking the picture said something that grabbed the dog's attention.

As soon as the owner praised the obedient canine with a "Good Boy," the dog was all smiles. He probably was commanded to sit and thus stayed in the position even after his good behavior was validated.

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First They're Sour, Then They're Sweet

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This before-and-after may as well be two different dogs. He looks like the canine version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. As soon as his owner spoke a word of admiration, the barking dog was transformed into a sweet companion.

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The sudden switch in demeanor makes us wonder if the owner had asked the dog to "speak." If so, it would explain how he went from looking aggressive to being calm, and why the owner said "good boy" in the first place.

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The Open-Mouth Smile

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This little dog already looked as sweet as can be in the before photo. It was sitting and calm, smiling at the camera like a model pup. But once he got a compliment, the canine couldn't help but widen that smile even more.

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The open-mouth dog smile is one of the cutest poses because it really shows their excitement. Pooches tend to get hyped up easily, causing them to open their mouths for big breaths of air as they revel in their joy.

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Jumping With Joy

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This dog's before-and-after shows a full transformation from calm to ecstatic. In the first image, the pet is sitting nicely and looking longingly into the camera, probably because its owner is the one taking the photo.

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In the second image, the dog is up on its hind legs and leaning on its owner, who is out of the shot. Though most dogs are taught not to jump up on people, sometimes the excitement gets to be too much.

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Wide-Eyed With Delight

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This cute dog has a penetrating stare so that its eyes seem like they could bore a hole into the camera in the before image. In the after photo, its eyes are even more expressive as they grow wide with thrill.

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His mouth is open in a large smile to reveal two fanglike teeth that somehow make the dog look even more endearing. By the look of it, this canine was just moments away from leaping up to give his owner a kiss.

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Awoken From A Nap

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While dogs can be a blast to run and play with, a lazy dog is an adorable sight to witness. This pooch was so relaxed that it was content with being sprawled out on a hardwood floor.

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Even so, the calm canine couldn't help but lift up its head to acknowledge its owner. The sleepyhead looks adorable as he gazes into the camera, debating whether he should get up and give some kisses or go back to bed.

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From Serious To Light-hearted

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The wrinkles all over this pup's chubby face already make him positively adorable. In the before photo, he's giving those begging eyes that so many of us dog lovers fall victim to.

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In the after photo, the dog is responding to "Good boy" with a big smile that serves to add to the irresistible cuteness. Though he's still laying on his side, his head is perked up a little bit as though he's about to jump up with joy.

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A Sudden Shift In Attention

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Dogs are notorious for being easily distracted, and we can't blame them considering they have superhuman hearing and senses of smell. Thus, it's no surprise that this dog seems entranced by something in the before image.

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As soon as its owner says "Good boy," the trance is completely broken and the dog shifts his attention to the camera. His ears even look a little perked up as he looks to his beloved human for validation.

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Happy Holidays

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Many pets are not the biggest fans of wearing costumes, and judging by the first image, this dog doesn't appear to be an exception. Though it looks a little unsettled about being in a Christmas hat and matching bowtie, he's still being a good boy.

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As soon as the owner says so, his straight face erupts into a charming smile. We're confident that all of the attention he gets at holiday parties supersedes any mild annoyance at the Christmas costume.

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Letting Out His Silly Side

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If we were judging this dog solely by the before image here, we would think he was a no-nonsense canine. His straight face isn't intimidating, but rather makes the pup look as though he's not fazed by much.

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In the after picture, however, it becomes clear that this pet gets hyped up like any other dog. Not only is he wearing a giant smile, but he's also in that ready-to-play posture that dog owners can easily recognize.

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Tongue Out And Ears Perked

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There's nothing like driving down the street and seeing an unexpected dog sticking its head out of another car. This pup was riding in the backseat when his owner decided to turn around and pay him a compliment.

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In the after image, the happy canine still has one of his ears up as though it's waiting to hear more compliments. He also is wearing a smile that is so big his tongue flops out of his mouth.

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There's That Smile

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This little doggo appears to be hiding his smile in the before image, burying his face into the counter he's laying on. As soon as he gets a "Good boy," the canine is up on all fours and baring his adorable face.

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Perhaps one of the cutest parts of the after photo is the little dog's tongue sticking to the top of its mouth. Between that and his giant, round eyes and scrunched-up face, this dog is positively irresistible.

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Keep Your Chin Up!

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This dog's before-and-after photos are the epitome of the phrase "keep your chin up." Like some of the other dogs we've seen, he looks a little distracted and serious in the before image.

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Once his owner offers a "Good boy" to the sweet canine, his chin turns up and he's all eyes and ears. The one floppy ear perked up makes the longing look in his eyes all the more endearing.

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The Look Of Love

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This sweet canine reminds us of Lady from Lady and the Tramp with his soft and wavy, reddish fur and cute face. In the before photo, she looks stoic while staring into the distance as though in deep thought.

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In the after image, the pup's attention has shifted up and towards her owner. Though her facial expression is still straight, we're willing to bet that the dog is thinking, "I hope being called 'Good girl' means I get a treat."

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It's All In The Eye

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Sometimes the most subtle reaction is the funniest. That's what makes this dog's before-and-after such a gem. It's as though he's playing a game of freeze and desperately trying to resist the urge to react to being called "Good boy."

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We can't spot one bit of difference between the pictures aside from one thing: that eye. The tiny shift in the canine's stare is all you need to know that he definitely registered his owner's words of approval.

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The Tilted Head Is Priceless

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While a few of the dogs we've seen so far perked up an ear at the mention of "Good boy," this one went a step further. That adorable head tilt to the side is a trademark response that is sure to melt a dog-lover's heart.

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There's something charming about a dog tilting its head that we can't explain. Perhaps the pose is impossibly cute because it makes a dog look not only curious, but also innocent.

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His Smile Just Got Cheesier

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This dog's before-and-after leads us to believe that he's a pure bundle of joy most of the time. To start, the canine was already wearing a joyous smile and looking right into the camera.

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After being called "Good boy," the sweet doggo somehow managed to widen his smile even further. You can tell by the drips of drool collecting at his mouth that the precious canine was holding that look of joy for some time.

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In A State Of Shock

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This dog's response is hilarious because it isn't exactly a smile, but it also isn't a look of aggression. The canine is baring its bottom teeth with its mouth agape as though he's in a state of shock.

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In the before image, the dog is just minding his own business lounging on the couch. It's clear that being called "Good boy" made quite the impression on the sweet pet. In the words of Grease, "it's electrifying."

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The Closed-Eyes Smile

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This dog may have the best smile we've seen yet. Not only is his tongue hanging out of his smiling mouth, but his eyes are closed, making the pup look positively irresistible.

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It looks as though the dog was carefully anticipating his owner saying something, and was filled with joy the moment he heard "Good boy." It's amazing how a simple word or phrase can transform a dog's mood, which may be a lesson we humans could benefit from.

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Little Pup, Giant Smile

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Puppies are just about impossible not to find adorable, but this one's transformation makes it all the cuter. Young dogs have a lot to learn about obedience, but they tend to catch on quickly.

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This little guy was probably even more eager for approval than some of the older dogs we've seen simply because he's learning. As soon as he hears the much-anticipated "Good boy," he knows he's done something right and is overwhelmed with giddiness.

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The Perfect Close-Up Shot

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This fluffy white pup looks like it was just excited to have their owner putting a camera in front of their face, probably just curious about what's happening.

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Then, they heard the magic words, and they couldn't help but give the closest version to blushing that they could for a dog. You know that a dog is really happy when they can't even control themselves but close their eyes because they're in pure puppy bliss.

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Up In A Flash

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This little guy was just taking a load off on the floor, as he most likely usually does, when he was approached by his owner. At first, all he did was open his eyes to see what was going on, before receiving the ultimate praise.

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Within a second, he was up off of the floor and totally attentive, ready for any other kind of attention that he might receive. The ears say everything that's going on.

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That Tongue Is Too Perfect

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To be honest, this little dog doesn't look all that happy in the first picture. However, as we know with many dogs, it only takes two words to completely change their attitude.

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While this dog may not have had the most over-the-top reaction in the world, it still showed its appreciation by simply sticking out its little pink tongue. Surely, anyone would be thrilled to have their dog react like this every time someone uttered the words "good boy."

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Aw, Shucks

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This little pup looks like most people after they just wake up from a nap that went on for much longer than they expected. Possibly being woken up by their owners, they may not seem all that thrilled at first, until they're reassured that they're loved with a "good boy."

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Now, they can't help but lay down and relish in the compliment, even looking at their owners as if they're saying "right back at you."

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Can't Believe Its Ears

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At first, it looks like this dog might have just been caught stealing food off of the kitchen counter, not even daring to look at its owner. However, after being notified that it's a good pup, it's almost as if it can't believe its own ears.

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With a dog as cute as this, it must be hard to reprimand them for doing anything wrong. We mean come on, look at those ears! Way too cute!

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What Was That You Said?

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This pooch just woke up to what is arguably the best alarm clock in the world. In the first picture, this good boy looks like they are dead asleep, but clearly that wasn't the case.

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All it took was two single-syllable words to get this dog to pop right up out of bed. This might be a trick that this owner has developed over the years to get the dog off of their side of the bed.

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Time For A Belly Rub

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This dog definitely appears to be going through something the way it's looking out of the window so somberly. Considering its reaction in the second photo after being called a "good boy," it's possible if it was having an existential crisis whether he is actually a good boy or not.

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Luckily, his owner was there to give him some affirmation, but that wasn't enough. Now, he requires a belly rub in order to really feel the love.

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And The Tongue Comes Out

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Here we have a dog that seems to be living it up outside. Yet, just when he thought that he couldn't be any happier, his owner said the two words that can put a smile on any dog's face.

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The dog responded by sticking its tongue out and all was well with the world at that moment. We're sure this dog is going to sleep well tonight knowing he had one of the best days he can ever expect to have.

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Hooray!

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This dog clearly didn't seem to be feeling too much emotion before he was called a "good boy." Then, he could no longer contain his excitement, and it looks like he had to shout out his joy from the top of his lungs.

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Obviously, it doesn't take all that much to get this dog out of a rut, so if he's ever feeling down, it seems that all you have to do is tell him how much you love him.

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Good Boy At Your Service!

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At first, this dog appears to be minding its own business, maybe wondering what its owner is up to. But then, after being called a good boy, within seconds, he was in front of the camera, at his owner's service.

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Was the dog looking for pets or possibly a treat? We don't know, but we do know that he has a big smile on his face and couldn't be happier at the moment. Now, that is a good boy!

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You Called?

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This dog looks like he was just walking by when he heard that he was, indeed, a good boy! Upon hearing this, he had no choice but to get as close to his owner as possible to get even more loving.

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By the look in this dog's eyes, it's almost like they're asking if there's anything that they can do so that they could be an even better boy in their owner's opinion. We doubt it!

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Say It Again, Would Ya?

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Here's another dog that seems to be minding its own business on the floor before receiving some earth-shattering news. Unlike some other dogs, it doesn't just run up to its owner looking for more attention, but simply rolls on its back to relish in this beautiful moment.

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In the first picture, it's almost like the dog is waiting for their owner to say it, by how effortlessly it rolls onto its back. Look at that smile!

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I Am! I Am!

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One second, this dog was looking longingly into their owner's eyes, and the next, it had the biggest smile on his face all because of two simple words. This is a testament to the fact that we don't deserve dogs because of just how easy it is to achieve their undying love and affection.

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This good boy couldn't be more thrilled to know that he's loved by his family and will more than likely be walking a little taller for the rest of the day.

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Putting Those Puppy Eyes To Good Use

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Just by looking at this young puppy, it's easy to tell that they're well aware of the effect that their puppy eyes have on their owners. All they have to do is give them the look and most likely the least thing that they can expect is being called a "good boy."

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Who knows, with eyes like that, it's possible that the dog can get just about anything that he wants, and we can't blame his owners for giving it to him!

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Do You Have Something You Want To Say To Me?

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From the way this dog has its head cocked to the side, it's clear that they're expecting something from its owner, which is the sign of a very loving home.

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This cute little guy knows that if he comes up to his owner looking like that, they won't be able to resist giving him a pat or letting him know what a good dog he is. By the smile on this dog's face, it looks like he got exactly what he wanted.

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Thanks, Human!

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This dog looks like he's surrounded by a bunch of people and nobody is giving him attention, which is really bumming him out at the moment.

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Then, just when he thought that nobody cared about him, somebody decided to tell him that he's a "good boy" to let him know that he's doing just fine. Clearly, that's all he needed to hear, and now is as happy as a clam knowing he's not doing anything wrong.

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From Scare To Thrilled

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If we didn't know better, in the first picture, it looks like this cute dog might have been up to no good and was caught in the act doing something he wasn't supposed to do.

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Then, after being called a "good boy," he couldn't help but jump for joy, most likely because he knows that he's no longer going to be getting into trouble. It's either that, or he just needed to know that he was loved.

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You Almost Had Me There!

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This Husky looks like he was called over for a reason that he was unsure of, which is maybe why he looks a little bit uncomfortable at the moment. Then, after being called a "good boy," he knew that he was in the clear and couldn't help but crack a smile at his owner.

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He was probably wondering why he was being called over in the first place and breathed a huge sigh of relief when he realized everything was just fine.

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Already Happy

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This dog already has a big smile on his face and doesn't look like it has a care in the world. Just when he thought that he couldn't get any happier, he heard what are most likely his favorite two words in the world.

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Now, his smile transformed into a full-on grin and he's looking at his owner like he could hug them if he had arms. Don't forget! Dogs that are already happy need love too!

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You Really Think So?

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Here we have another dog that looks like it thinks it's about to get into trouble only to realize that the exact opposite is happening. This Greyhound looks like he doesn't know whether to lay down and beg forgiveness or run, but apparently, he didn't do anything wrong.

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Instead, he's being praised for being the good dog that he is, and it almost seems like he doesn't believe what's happening. We wonder what he did that made him think he was in trouble.

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