A black Labrador mix puppy’s toothy grin is stealing hearts all over again in 2026 but the viral tale comes with some dramatic spin.
On March 23, 2026, Pubity’s X post dropped the same photos from six years ago: a little black pup in a kennel pulling his lips back into a huge, human-like smile. The caption claimed the dog
“spent months in the shelter without getting adopted, so he taught himself how to smile to look more appealing.”
Thousands of shares later, the internet is melting all over again. Same story, same grin, fresh wave of feels.
It began January 22, 2020. Caddo Parish Animal Control took in three tiny 8-week-old Labrador Retriever mix siblings from a high-risk situation and transferred them to the Humane Society of Northwest Louisiana in Shreveport. Sarrah Walton, a Humane Society volunteer, named them after LSU Tigers football heroes Joe, Burreaux (the runt, with a playful twist on Joe Burrow), and O.
A tweet from X.
Burreaux was also positive for parvovirus shortly after this serious illness that dogs, especially puppies, tend to get. They poured fluids and medication into him, and he recovered after a few weeks in isolation. This was a huge victory because the survival rate for dogs with this illness can range between 10-20%.
Once healthy and back in the main kennel area, staff noticed something special.
“Whenever someone spoke to him gently, praised him ‘good boy!’ or even just talked near his kennel in a friendly voice, he would pull his lips back into a wide, toothy grin,”
Recalled workers at the time. Late February 2020, the Humane Society posted photos and a short video on Facebook. One clip hit over 346,000 views in days. Outlets like The Dodo, Business Insider, People, and HuffPost picked it up instantly.
Experts say it wasn’t a trick. Canine ethology studies describe this as a classic submissive grin an instinctive appeasement signal dogs use when happy or seeking connection, often called a “play face.” Shelter staff reinforced it because visitors loved it, but Burreaux didn’t “teach himself” on purpose.
“He was always smiling, trying to cute it up,”
One volunteer told reporters.
The exposure worked fast. Early March 2020 just weeks after the posts blew up Burreaux went home. New owner Hollie King renamed him Pappy.
“His smile is what drew us into adopting him,”
she said.
“He’s the sweetest thing ever.”
Pappy settled in watching movies, riding along everywhere, and “chomping on grass.” His brother Joe got adopted too; sister O found a home shortly after.
U.S. shelters still face tough numbers. The latest Shelter Animals Count 2025 report (a program of the ASPCA) shows 5.8 million dogs and cats entered facilities last year, with hundreds of thousands euthanized despite strong adoption efforts. Viral posts like this one can boost an animal’s chances by 20-50%, giving underdogs a real shot.
Pappy’s tale proves one goofy grin can change everything even if social media adds a little extra sparkle for the shares. Rescue stories like his keep reminding us why scrolling with your heart open still matters.
