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Smiling dog in Japan

Meet Chii, a shiba inu in Okayama prefecture that smiles whenever her master is nearby:

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50 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - January 31, 2010 at 10:29 am

Categories: Animal Videos Tags: dogs, kawaii, pets

http://www.hormel.com Vonskippy

Whenever our dog makes that “face” we give her PeptoBismol.
DinoJuicer

I have a dog-related question.

When I lived in Korea, I pesonally saw restaurants
serving dog meat dishes. I take no sides on this
subject. Eat dog meat or don’t eat dog meant. Not
my place to decide for the Koreans.

However, there are many ethnic Koreans living in
Japanese… some for generations. Do those Koreans
ever slaughter/cook dog meat? Do Japanese laws
cover this issue at all?

Thanks!

Star

Obviously it’s not allowed in Japan.

BTW, interestingly, did you know that almost ALL asian countries (besides Japan) eats dog meat (China, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, etc)? However, somehow people think only Koreans do. LIKEWISE, Koreans and other asians eat whale meat and dolphin meat, yet Japan gets all the flak for it! Interesting how double standards work.

helical

Obviously it’s not allowed in Japan.

Obviously, you’re just making things up.

It’s illegal to serve meat slaughtered outside of certified slaughterhouses, and there are none for dogs in Japan. But it’s perfectly legal to serve imported meat, and there are numerous Korean restaurants in Japan that do so.
Mamoru Kuwayama

Interesting! Do Koreans and other non-Japanese run whaling ships?
aekutopia

Well…for Thailand, as a Thai person, I can confirm that Thai people didn’t eat dog meat. We consider that’s such a disgusting and uncommon food. You’ll never see any dog meat restaurant in Thailand, unlike in Korea or Vietnam.

In Southeast Asia, Vietnamese are No.1 dog-meat consumers.
Anyway, I didn’t support or against people who eat dog meat.

max

incorrect.

http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1722

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_meat

and plenty more if you just google “thailand dog meat”
aekutopia

To Max,

From the first article you posted, that’s such a certain far-flung impoverished countryside area and very very few people eat dog meat, though. I still confirm that 99.99 percents or majority of Thai people do not practice eating dog meat.

And from your wikipedia source, there’s nothing about dog meat-eating case related to Thailand. It just mention that Vietnam imports dog from neighbouring countries, including Thailand, for their domestic consumption.

I bet that you are just a one foreigner who never visit Thailand. I grow up, travel extensively and live in my country for almost my entire life. So I know the real situation and it’s not necessary for me to google for source.

I kindly ask you to come to Thailand and witness with your eyes, at least, comparing to Vietnam’s prevalent dog-eating culture. It’s totally different.(I have been to Vietnam twice)

Come to see with your eyes or just rely on google, up to you!!!
Tenusia

Well… I have been to Thailand quite a few time and I have to agree that the main majority of Thai people don’t eat dog meat. However when I was doing voluntary work with the Akha (North of Chang Rai, at the golden triangle), we actually did eat dog meat. They only eat it during a special festival, but they do eat dog meat nontheless. But than again… most Thai people don’t see the Akha as real Thai anyway.

nagoriyuki

Dog meat is imported from China to Japan.
Its amount was 9t in 1997, and 77t in 2007.
Hanzo’

wow, where did this come from? straight to Korea already…
ttl

you are a fucking asshole

pcurve

That is a face of a dog that is anticipating a whack in the head.

bwr21

I was thinking the same thing. That’s how a dog looks when its expecting to get hit in the head. The ears lower and eyes squint.

adsadsdas

I thought the owner had putted something bad smelling like mustard under the dog nose that it will make some weird face. That looked very forced.
LB

That is how a dog looks when greeting its master (or when greeting another dog higher in the pecking order than itself): ears laid back, eyes averted, head low. It is a submissive posture, and it has nothing to do with expecting to be smacked – to dogs, it is like extending the right hand of friendship. The body language reads “I am not a threat/I am very glad to see you”.
Lostfiniel

I agree, I was a little surprised when I saw the dog’s behavior. Besides the eyes squinting and the ears down, the tail is not wagging and the dog is obviously not excited.

The dog won’t “smile” for other people because only the master has hit the dog, I’m sure. And, if that is the case, this is very sad indeed. It’s unfortunate that the TV show didn’t recognize this for what it is.

Steve

I too agree with pcurve saying that “That is a face of a dog that is anticipating a whack in the head.”

You can’t tell from the picture alone but after watching the video the dog does seem genuinely scared of the master, eyes squinting and occasionally blinking/peeking as the master comes nearer. Another sign is the dog’s fear (shaking) as the master comes closer to him with his hand; perhaps that’s what he used to smack the dog with.

I have a dog and I’m sad to say I’ve smacked my dog before too due to bad behavior (biting family members). I watched in fear as the dog in the video is showing signs of biting the girl petting the dog @ 1:11. Maybe that’s why the little girl pulled her hand away.

marc

Another great animal vid!

What show is this from? I love the “duh.. du… dhu … du…” music that always accompanies each unique animal reveal.

linus

http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/nanikore/index.html
nani kore chinhyakkei
DinoJuicer

the music is Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition”
which he composed about 130 years ago:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictures_at_an_Exhibition

DinoJuicer

the dog is probably thinking: “oh no… now I’m surely going
to end up on YouTube or Japan Probe website”
hiMe

Aww I wanna hug her .My bunny only winks at me.

DinoJuicer

may I suggest getting a new bunny?

these bunnies like to hug…. but they are
really, really big…. at nearly 50 pounds, or 25 kilos….

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/03_04/013bunnyDM_468x611.jpg

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/03_04/AmyRabbitEDWARDS_468x456.jpg

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/02_02/HumphreyCPA_468x661.jpg

hoihoi

I think Japan would make a law about a dog first.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hefJE8bAwCg&feature=related
A Noun

This is not cute. That dog is obviously terrified. Shame on that TV show for promoting it as something cute.

weirdo

I’m not an expert on dogs, but wagging tail = terrified?

LB

I grew up with dogs in the house, and everything about that dog’s body language is showing happiness at seeing its master. The facial expression is weird, but dogs learn to do what makes their owners happy. This one probably did the expression as a fluke, but when it got praised for doing it the dog learned “I make this face, the master is happy – so I will make the face for him.” It wouldn’t be unusual for the dog to only do it for the master either – our dogs all had unique behaviors that they only exhibited when my dad (the “pack leader”) was around.

Lostfiniel

It’s true that dogs learn unique behaviors as they grow up. But, I have to disagree with you. Nothing about this dog’s body language emits happiness to me. The rescue dogs I have had that were previously abused also made similar faces. The eyes closing are a natural move anticipating a smack on the head. The dog closes it’s eyes to protect a sensitive area. The ears down are a sign of submission. Dogs who are beat tend to show very submissive signs to show they are not a threat and don’t need to be beat again. The little bits of tail movement seem more of a nervous reaction than happiness. Happy dogs have very active tails.
It really wouldn’t be that much different from us. If something was falling towards your head, your natural reaction would be to squint and clench your teeth. That’s where the dog’s “smile” comes in.
weirdo

“little bits of movement?”, I see the dog clearly wagging its tail at 1:34.
http://www.japanprobe.com James

Every single time someone uploads a cute pet or baby video to YouTube, the “experts” come out of the woodwork and start leaving comments about how the video is evidence of violence and abuse.

This particular case allows for the added bonus of making comments about how “the Japanese” can’t notice how this dog has been abused.
A Noun

James says:
“Every single time someone uploads a cute pet or baby video to YouTube, the “experts” come out of the woodwork and start leaving comments about how the video is evidence of violence and abuse.”

Perhaps because this one clearly is. It’s only the uneducated person who would find this “cute.”

A Noun

Yes, a dog that is submissive will wag its tail even when terrified. It’s saying, “I am not harmful.” Note the position of the tail, however – down and low. A happy shiba will hold it’s tail high and wave it like a flag.

HamachiMan

Spot on comment James.

It’s not exclusive to Japan videos though, practically every single video relating to pets of any kind on YouTube gets dozens (or more) comments saying that it’s an ‘abused’ animal.

In fact I was just watching a video where a cat was dressed up in a costume, and by golly people were screaming that the animal was being “abused.”

A Noun

HamachiMan says:
“It’s not exclusive to Japan videos though, practically every single video relating to pets of any kind on YouTube gets dozens (or more) comments saying that it’s an ‘abused’ animal.”

…And some of those comments are wrong. I haven’t read them all, as you apparently have. I’m busy working with canine rescue. It leaves precious little time for YouTube.

Unfortunately, in this case, it’s all too obvious the dog is fearful. Scoff if you must; belittle us if you must. There are many of us watching this video and it breaks our hearts, because we know we can’t help this dog who obviously needs it.

So we work harder to help the dogs we can.

http://www.ichiro-style.com Ichiro Ino

Why don’t you work your ass saving children and women in Muslim countries, or feed poor Africans instead saving these kinds of dogs which are pseudo abused.

Animals are inferior to people, but I am against their unreasonable killings and poaching. I just hate it when people get jailed just for “abusing” these animals. There should be bias to animals. The law is for the people, not for the animals.Favoring animals over people through the law is the silliest wisdom the world has gained… Oh wait, I think it’s mostly what the western world has gained.. they think what’s the norm with them is the norm of the world…

Nira

You sir, are an arsehole.

kokumin

Hm,
What a cute dog,wonderful!
she has a high IQ．．than whale,dolphin..maybe．
(oops,sorry Aussie!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYxnx9VYc1Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXr-EnWo6R8
we should not eat dog．
asfa

To me it looks like the dog is afraid of it’s owner. And that’s just sick. Fuck that asshole if it is so!
Jesus kristus

I think that dog is just scared to get wiped with a broomstick on his head ^.^
Sophie

The dog is fearful, not happy.
In answer to a previous post wagging tails do not always mean happiness. The following things about canine body language show that this dog is fearful/submissive:
a) squinting eyes
b) ear positiong
c) retracted lips
d) head position and whole body position
e) tail position and type of wag
f) licking lips and chewing
g) Slight tremble
All of these are clear indicators that the dog is fearful and has likely been hit or made other negative associations with teh owner. Sadly misinterpretation of animal signals is prevalent all over the world because we want to think animals are happy and want to be with us but sometimes they are simply saying ‘please don’t hurt me’ like in this video.

Ajapa

Why does this dog show fear only for very short term in a whole interaction with the owner? The dog looks like happy when the owner speaks to him but he suddenly become fearful after the owner come more closer?
Elizabeth

That was my observation too. Those who are criticizing the obvious evidence of animal abuse don’t have a clue about animal behavior. I suppose it’s natural not to want to recognize it, because it’s unpleasant, but it’s definitely there. The dog’s owner should be investigated. If you don’t see it, well, I hope you enjoy sticking your head in the sand.

http://www.ichiro-style.com Ichiro Ino

“The dog’s owner should be investigated.”

That’s just far-fetched…

90ggjin

the dog is not abused, it’s the “Shiba smile”. some of them smile when they are happy. Whach these movies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CavI2cXqXtE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxNluekpTN4&feature=related

And the owner says after an year, the face gradually became smiley. He also said that he loves her / him.
Julie

Um. this is a total scam. wow.
the dogs seems like its smiling because its squiting! its squiting because of the sunlight!!
At 1:15 notice how the dogs in the shade. so its not smiling! and the person is not petting it in a friendly way…
At 1:36 and everytime they show it “smiling”, its in the sun…
Anonymous

When it smiles, the dog is thinking: Where my bitches at? LOOOOOL
don Toro

Tha “smile” is of fear, probably the dog has been smacked/hit on the head several times… If it´s right or wrong to eat dog, don´t take stand BUT the way the dogs are slaughtered! In Korea and China they are tortured ti death! The meat tatstes better, they think! And if you can cut the dog to pieces while alive, even better! You do know that dogs are skinned alive in China and Korea?? And please! I´m no racist! This is only fact given
kate

http://redstarcafe.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/sato.jpg
Eri

you guys are being so stupid, here in japan we take ordinary pictures of our pets and photoshop them to have a cutie and somewhat anime look to their face. theres also a famous photoshopped cat picture similar to this dogs “smiling” face.

Smiling dog in Japan

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