Watch Dog’s Face Transform From Being Inside Shelter vs in His Forever Home
September 12, 2025
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A TikTok video of a dog’s face transforming from life inside a shelter to in his forever home instantly brightened people’s day.
Carissa Rodriguez and her family adopted Bandit in March from Shelter to Soldier, a nonprofit that adopts canines from local shelters and trains them to become service or emotional support animals for veterans.
The 3-year-old pup was hit by a car and injured before being taken to a local animal shelter. Unable to afford his medical expenses, he was scheduled for euthanasia, but Shelter to Soldier jumped in, Rodriguez told Newsweek via email. He lived at the shelter for over a year where Rodriguez formed a close bond with him.
Bandit went through dog training and eventually became a certified emotional support animal. But as time went on, he was not getting adopted. That’s when Rodriguez expressed to her family the bond she created with the “super mutt.” They decided Bandit would make their family complete.
“I have been employed at this shelter for two years, and my dad is a veteran,” she said. “He was able to apply for the program and help me adopt Bandit!”
The August 28 TikTok video, which currently has over 12,000 views and is posted to the account @smilewithbandit, showed how a change in an animal’s environment can make a world of difference. The photos of Bandit in the shelter showed him scared and timid. But as soon as he went home with Rodriguez, he could not stop smiling.
She said she noticed his now-famous smile while inside the shelter. He seemed to know he was saved, but ever since being adopted, he has not stopped smiling.
“Bandit is easy to please,” Rodriguez said. “If you have treats, toys, or even give him a little bit of attention, it gets him smiling!”
Screenshots from an August 28 TikTok video of a shelter dog’s reaction after being adopted. Screenshots from an August 28 TikTok video of a shelter dog’s reaction after being adopted. @smilewithbandit/TikTok
TikTok Users React
Just as the Rodriguez family fell in love with Bandit and his never-ending smile, so did TikTok users who flocked to the comments section.
One user wrote: “That SMILE melts my heart.”
A second posted: “That is the most expressive smile on a dog that I’ve ever seen.”
And a third user added: “He got his spark back. Look at how happy he is.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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