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By Leonie Helm
Life Reporter
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Dogs can learn all sorts of tricks, from bringing you your slippers to playing dead. One dog has been delighting TikTok viewers with his ability and eagerness to smile on command.
In a TikTok video posted to the account @djangosmiles, Django the dog is asked by his owner if he would like to take a picture. She counts down from three before saying "cheese" as Django bears his teeth in a wide smile, always camera ready.
"Always more cheese please!" reads the caption on the video which has received over 780,000 views.
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On average, dogs have an intelligence level close to a child level of 2 to 2.5 years old, according to research undertaken by Stanley Coren, PhD, of the University of British Columbia, Canada.
Speaking at the American Psychological Association's 117th Annual Convention in 2009, Coren said: "We all want insight into how our furry companions think, and we want to understand the silly, quirky and apparently irrational behaviors [that] Lassie or Rover demonstrate. Their stunning flashes of brilliance and creativity are reminders that they may not be Einstein's but are sure closer to humans than we thought."
Coren believes that there are three types of intelligence in dogs: instinctive (what a dog is bred to do), adaptive (how well the dog learns from its environment to solve problems), and working and obedience (the equivalent of "school of learning").
One of the ways dogs demonstrate their cognitive skills is by manipulating their owners, according to PetMD.
"Dogs can learn how to use cues to their benefit," PetMD says on its website. "For instance, your dog may try to convince you that she hasn't received her dinner yet, even though someone else fed her already. Don't fall for those puppy dog eyes!"
Dogs can learn the names of objects and retrieve those specific objects. "The average dog can learn around 165 words, while certain brainiacs can learn upwards of 200," say PetMD.
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Border collies are often referred to as one of the most intelligent breeds, and in one study referenced by PetMD, "a remarkable border collie named Rico knew the names of more than 200 items and could remember them for weeks. He also showed he could learn new objects by exclusion—in other words, he was able to infer the name of a new object just by recognizing the object as one for which he didn't have a name."
Users on TikTok loved the video.
"He understood the assignment," said one user, while another commented: "Protect him at all cost . The most handsomest boy ever."
Newsweek reached out to @djangosmiles via email 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.
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