A Shiba Inu has gone viral for all the wrong—or right—reasons after a video showing the dog at a New York City breed meetup sparked laughter and affectionate mockery among viewers online.
The now-viral TikTok was posted by the pet’s owner under @timezones.tinis on September 21. Viewers were treated to the sight of a solitary Shiba Inu sitting stiffly among a large group of its kind in Madison Square Park. With more than 2.5 million views and over 460,000 likes to date, the clip has ignited a wave of amused reactions on the platform.
Set against the backdrop of one of Manhattan’s most-iconic green spaces, the dog appeared deeply uninterested in socializing, maintaining a statuesque pose while other Shibas around it mirrored the same awkward detachment.
An overlaid text on the video read: “POV: [Point of view] You bring your Shiba to a Shiba Inu meetup in NYC but they’re so awkward because they’re Shibas.” The caption added: “Things to do in NYC with your Shiba: Go to a Shiba Inu meet up. Throwback to this meet up in Madison Square Park, can’t wait for today!!! Shibas are weird but we love them for it.”
The moment resonated with thousands of dog lovers on the platform, many of whom filled the comments with knowing nods and inside jokes about the famously aloof breed.
Despite their foxlike cuteness and social-media fame, Shiba Inus are widely known for their independence and stand-offishness, often compared more to cats than other dogs when it comes to personality.
The video served as a lighthearted case study in this behavior, with not just the featured Shiba, but many others in the frame appearing equally uninterested in the kind of playful chaos that characterizes most canine meetups. The result was an unexpectedly hilarious and deadpan gathering that perfectly encapsulated the breed’s notorious reputation.
The humor that is dozens of Shibas avoiding eye contact and physical interaction at what was ostensibly a social event became an instant draw.
“They’re all like ‘this could’ve been an email’,” one viewer commented.
“Like doing a cat meetup,” another added.
“They all look like they’re thinking ‘now what?'” a third viewer said.
“Are they pretending not to see each other?” one shared.
“This is how I feel too when I get dragged to a party,” another viewer said.
“I like the gentle vibe they bring to the function,” a third commented.
Newsweek reached out to @timezones.tinis for more information via email and TikTok.
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