Worried woman thinks her dog is sad - but 'scared' pet fans are all saying the same thing

Dogs are the most popular pet in the UK and US, which isn't surprising as these animals are often considered 'man's best friend.'

There are many breeds of dogs with different personalities and temperaments but they all usually bring joy to their owners. Pet content is huge on TikTok and one woman took to the platform to post a video of her shih-poo, Max, sitting on the sofa looking very sad.

She asked him what was wrong and he raised his head before lowering it again, with a visible pout on his face throughout the short clip. The worried owner captioned the post: "Max didn't even come upstairs to go to bed tonight and now I'm worried.

"I swear he looked like he was gonna cry? Is it just me? He is seriously pouting right now."

The TikTok post has gone viral but it's not the dog's mixed breed or expressive sadness that has caught viewers' attention - it's his face. Many of them commented to say that he looks scarily 'human.'

One shared: "Max is scaring me. He looks human." Another added: "That's the most human looking dog I've seen."

A third said: "He's so cute yet I'm slightly terrified, the most human looking dog I've seen. I just wanna give him a hug."

A fourth chimed in: "I just read the comments and I am thankful I'm not the only one who thinks Max is the most human looking dog ever and it scares me a little."

Someone else joked: "He's probably sad about bills or something because ma'am that is a human." Others even compared the sad shih-poo to actors and TV characters like Will Ferrell, Ron Perlman and Frank Gallagher, from the American comedy-drama series Shameless.

A different viewer, who was concerned about Max, remarked: "That's a serious pout going on unless he's not feeling well. Rub his belly. Might have gas.

"If it's hard, rub in circles. If he has as much poodle in him as I think, tummy upset." However, in a follow-up video Max's owner clarified that the dog had been sad because of the "kids". She said Max had been "so tired" because the kids had been "wearing him out".

The adorable shih-poo is a cross between a Shih Tzu and Toy Poodle but PetMD clarifies that this is a fairly new mix and is not yet recognised by the American Kennel Club.

According to the Shih Tzu breed standard, the Shih-Tzu was developed specifically to serve as a "companion and house pet." As a result, when a Shih Tzu is well-socialised, it tends to be "outgoing, happy, affectionate, friendly, and trusting towards all."

The Toy Poodle, by contrast, is characterised by the American Kennel Club as "very active" and "intelligent" with an "air of distinction and dignity peculiar to himself." When these personality traits are blended, a Shih-poo usually ends up being a bright, sociable, and self-assured companion.

This dog mix is known for being small as the maximum height of shih tzus and toy poodles is around 10 inches and even a full grown shih-poo will stay this size, as per PetMD.