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---
title: This Dog Is Understandably Suspicious Of Its Own Portrait
description: A dog spotted its own portrait and it did not go well
canonical: https://time.com/5777447/dog-portrait-reaction/
author: Melissa Locker
article:opinion: false
article:content_tier: free
article:published_time: 2020-02-05T15:48:55.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T08:01:16.399Z
og:title: Understandable Dog Has Increasingly Suspicious Reaction to Its Own Portrait
og:description: Everyone is an art critic
og:url: https://time.com/5777447/dog-portrait-reaction/
og:site_name: TIME
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og:image:height: 1214
og:image:alt: Picture frame with copy space
og:type: article
twitter:card: summary_large_image
twitter:title: Understandable Dog Has Increasingly Suspicious Reaction to Its Own Portrait
twitter:description: Everyone is an art critic
twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5f0f9cb7b8d9d963/698a09d50116824ef297eef6/DogPortrait.jpg?branch=production&amp;width=1200&amp;quality=75&amp;auto=webp&amp;crop=16:9
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5f0f9cb7b8d9d963/698a09d50116824ef297eef6/DogPortrait.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# Understandable Dog Has Increasingly Suspicious Reaction to Its Own Portrait

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by 

[Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/)


## Melissa Locker


Feb 5, 2020 3:48 PM UTC

![Dog portrait](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5f0f9cb7b8d9d963/698a09d50116824ef297eef6/DogPortrait.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

Getty Images

by 

[Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/)


## Melissa Locker


Feb 5, 2020 3:48 PM UTC

Professional art critics typically earn their credentials by studying fine arts, reading critical theory, and poring over art history while honing their craft. After spotting a portrait of itself, though, [a dog](https://time.com/4775436/how-smart-is-a-dog-really/) skipped those steps and went into full art critic mode, no studying required.

Twitter user Kaitlyn Adams (a.k.a. @Kait2lyn) [tweeted](https://twitter.com/Kait2lyn/status/1224755524639412225) that her boss had kindly commissioned a portrait of her rescue dog, Gomez, but the unveiling didn’t go exactly as planned. Thanks to a video shared online, both art and [dog aficionados](https://time.com/5344210/dogs-empathy-study/) could watch as the dog got his first glimpse of the portrait.

Adams wrote, “My boss got me a portrait of [my dog](https://time.com/4870796/dog-owners-benefits/) and yesterday he thought it was real and I’m still laughing”. From the moment Gomez saw the picture, he was suspicious, barking like a stranger had broken into the house and propped itself up in the corner like a real weirdo. When they say everyone’s a critic, they are including our four-legged friends, apparently.

> [](https://twitter.com/Kait2lyn/status/1224755524639412225)

As the video went viral, other [dog lovers](https://time.com/5342964/human-bond-dog-thoughts/) weighed in with their own takes on the clip and stories of their own dogs making their opinions on art known.

> [](https://twitter.com/tressiemcphd/status/1224757007946866690)


> [](https://twitter.com/AugustSteve/status/1224823786505228294)

> [](https://twitter.com/ajax659/status/1224840528455438337)

> [](https://twitter.com/KadeeMcDonald/status/1224795467885793280)


> [](https://twitter.com/MelsHalpern/status/1224918409890148353)

Adams followed up her viral tweet by suggesting that people consider rescuing dogs when looking for a pet. Just remember when you’re adopting a pup, you’re also potentially bringing home an art critic, too.

> [](https://twitter.com/Kait2lyn/status/1224809495991222272)

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