Message about dog intelligence leaves many pet owners emotional on TikTok

Denver, Colorado - One TikTok user's viral message about being frustrated with his pet got dog owners emotional about how they respond to their furry friend's troubles.

This TikToker was on a mission to remind dog owners to be patient with their pets.
This TikToker was on a mission to remind dog owners to be patient with their pets.  © Collage: Screenshot/TikTok/@maligator.novah

While some may think dogs are intentionally getting themselves into trouble, as one TikToker pointed out, if you look at a dog's intelligence from a different perspective, you may not be as upset with your pooch when they do something bad.

The viral TikTok clip shows Novah, a two-year-old Belgian Shepherd, sitting in front of her owner, looking confused.

The subtitles say: "Whenever you're feeling frustrated with your dog. Just remember that the average dog has the IQ of a 2-year-old human,"

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TikTokers were all about this subtle message. More than 500,000 TikTok users liked the clip, and thousands have commented since it was posted last month.

Dogs have similar mental abilities to human toddlers

This TikToker isn't wrong about dogs being like children. Canine researcher Stanley Coren told the American Psychological Association that dogs' mental abilities are close to those of a human child aged two to two and a half years old: "Their stunning flashes of brilliance and creativity are reminders that they may not be Einsteins but are sure closer to humans than we thought."

Many commenters agreed that their dogs are like kids and need guidance as well as strict rules and that their innocence is plain to see in their eyes.

Other users couldn't help but poke fun at their furry friend's brains, with one writing, "My poor chihuahua has the IQ of a rock."

Still, other users were surprised by the fact that dogs are like toddlers and vowed to be more mindful of their pets' intelligence levels.

Cover photo: Collage: Screenshot/TikTok/@maligator.novah

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