Introduction
Internet memes have become a defining aspect of online culture and social media in the 21st century. Memes often spread virally through sharing and remixing, capturing a cultural moment or experience. The “Who’s dog is this” meme is one such viral meme format that took off in the 2010s. Memes generally rely on common imagery or phrasing to convey humor and commentary on society and current events. While often absurdist or nonsensical on the surface, memes can reflect deeper cultural values, ideas, or phenomena.
Origin of the Meme
The “Whose Dog is This?” meme first emerged in early 2017 on the social media platform Twitter. Though the exact origins are unclear, the earliest known posting of the meme was on January 10, 2017 by Twitter user @LASlave. The tweet included a photo of a small Pomeranian dog sitting on a bed with the caption “whose dog is this I’m babysitting but have no idea who’s it is.”
The absurdity of the tweet’s premise struck a chord with Twitter users, who began remixing the tweet into a meme format. Copycats started posting similar photos of random dogs with captions like “taking care of my friend’s dog but idk its name??” and “Dog-sitting for my cousin but forgot which dog is hers?” The meme took off from there, becoming a viral sensation within just a couple of days.
Meaning
The “Who’s Dog Is This Meme” features an image of a dog staring blankly at the camera. Text is overlayed asking “Whose dog is this?” implying confusion about the owner of the dog in the photo. The meme is generally used to express bewilderment, confusion, or lack of awareness about a particular situation or thing. The person asking “Whose dog is this?” is essentially admitting they have no idea or context for the image of the dog presented. This blank confusion and unawareness is part of what makes the meme humorous.
Additionally, the meme can be used in a more literal sense when the owner of a particular photo of a dog is truly unknown. However, more commonly it is used figuratively to indicate complete confusion and ignorance regarding the subject matter. The staring dog photo adds absurdity and humor to this confused sentiment.
Spread and Popularity
The “Who’s Dog is This?” meme spread rapidly across social media in the mid 2010s, particularly on platforms like Twitter and Reddit. Users would share the iconic image of the smiling shiba inu dog along with the phrase “Who’s Dog is This?” as a lighthearted way to jokingly inquire about the adorable dog’s owner.
The meme format resonated well on Twitter, where the image could be shared along with the standard text in a short, humorous tweet. Twitter users would often tweet the meme at friends or at celebrities in a teasing way, asking them to claim ownership of the photogenic dog. This shareability allowed the meme to reach hundreds of thousands of users within just days and weeks after it first appeared online.
On Reddit, the “Who’s Dog is This?” meme was frequently reposted in popular subreddits like r/aww, r/dogs, and r/memes. Redditors upvoted and engaged with posts featuring the meme, using the comment sections to join in on the joke about trying to find the dog’s owner. Some Reddit users even got creative and edited the image to include their own pets or fictional characters. The meme’s simplicity and cute dog photo made it both easily remixable and highly shareable on Reddit.
Variations
People have made many versions of the “who’s dog is this” meme with different photos. The meme is very versatile, with the photo being replaceable based on whatever the creator wants to joke about. Some of the common variations include:
- Using a photo of a strange or ugly looking dog to jokingly pretend it belongs to someone.
- Using a photo of a celebrity’s or fictional character’s dog and pretending not to recognize it.
- Using a photo of another animal like a cat or pig and joking that it’s a dog.
- Using an object or food instead of a dog photo, like a car or pizza.
The variations allow the meme to stay fresh and adaptable to new jokes. No matter what photo is used, the “who’s dog is this” format pokes fun at the idea of not recognizing something that seems obvious to others.
Notable Examples
Some particularly popular versions of the meme include:
– An image of a fluffy Samoyed dog with the text “this is my dog, I don’t know you, please give back my dog.” This version played into the absurdity of not recognizing your own pet.
– An image of a cute shiba inu titled “this is my food now hooman” implying the dog was claiming the food for itself. The twist on the usual meme format was widely enjoyed.
– A screenshot from the animated sitcom Family Guy where Brian the dog is holding a piece of paper saying “do not trust this human he is not my owner.” The use of a famous cartoon dog added a humorous element.
– A picture of a serious looking German shepherd in a military vest with the text “this is a federal K9 officer, where are your papers citizen?” The juxtaposition of the meme format with an authority figure like a police dog struck a chord with many internet users.
Impact
The “Who’s Dog is This?” meme has had a notable impact on internet culture and the popularity of memes overall. When it first emerged, it represented a new style of ironic, absurdist humor that was just starting to gain traction online. The strange juxtaposition of the cute dog photo with the nonsensical question captured the emerging “random” comedy aesthetic.
The meme’s spread across multiple social media platforms also demonstrated the power of viral content in the age of social sharing. Although it originated on Tumblr, it quickly jumped platforms to Twitter, Reddit, Facebook, and elsewhere as people shared it with their own social circles. This cross-platform viral spread is a pattern that many later memes would follow.
In the years since its debut, the meme has become iconic as an early prototype of the kind of irreverent internet humor that would later become ubiquitous. It helped set the template for the meme format itself – simple image and text jokes that could be replicated and shared rapidly. In that sense, its impact can be seen in the rise of meme culture itself. Although it has faded from prominence, “Who’s Dog is This?” remains an influential early meme in internet history.
Other ‘Whose X is This’ Memes
The viral success of the “Who’s Dog is This?” meme inspired the creation of many similar memes that followed the same format. Some other notable examples include:
“Whose Cat is This?” – Uses pictures of funny or cute cats instead of dogs. Became popular on Reddit and Twitter.
“Whose Baby is This?” – Features images of cute or funny baby photos, often with parents making silly faces in the background. Popular on Facebook parenting groups.
“Whose Car is This?” – Focuses on pictures of unusual, customized, or absurd-looking vehicles. Popular on car enthusiast forums and subreddits.
“Whose Tattoo is This?” – Shows off strange, poorly-done, or humorous tattoos. Popular on Tumblr and Instagram.
While none gained the exact same level of mainstream viral fame, these iterations demonstrate the format’s appeal and adaptability across interests and internet subcultures.
Controversies
Some have voiced concerns about the meme being used to spread harmful misinformation or manipulate people’s perceptions. However, the vast majority of cases appear relatively harmless in nature.
One controversy occurred when the meme was used in conjunction with political disinformation or fake news stories. By attributing false headlines or claims to seemingly reliable news sources, the meme format gave credibility to falsified content in some instances. This highlighted the need for greater media literacy skills in determining the validity of online content.
Additionally, there have been a few isolated instances of the meme being used to spread racist, sexist or otherwise offensive viewpoints by attributing them to well-known personalities or organizations. However, most online communities act quickly to condemn and remove such offensive uses of the meme.
Overall, while a small minority have attempted to use “Whose dog is this?” for questionable purposes, the meme itself is typically lighthearted and entertaining. As with any popular online trend, vigilance is needed to identify and counter misuse while allowing benign sharing of humorous content.
Conclusion
The “Who’s Dog is This” meme has become an enduring part of internet culture. Though its origins are unclear, it evolved into a humorous way for people to jokingly take credit for cute or amusing photos of dogs. The absurdity of multiple people pretending a random dog belongs to them is what gives the meme its charm.
While silly on the surface, the meme perhaps reveals something deeper about how people interact online. We all want to share things that bring joy and make others smile. Claiming a cute dog photo as our own is an easy way to do that, even if we don’t actually know the dog. Through taking collective ownership of these viral images, internet users form an odd yet positive sense of community and connection.
In the end, the “Who’s Dog is This” meme reminds us not to take things too seriously online. Playfully staking claim to a random dog photo allows us to tap into our shared appreciation for all that is silly, cute and light-hearted about the internet. The meme will likely continue spreading that positive spirit in its own peculiar way for years to come.