The Noir Dog meme features various high-contrast, black-and-white images of dogs looking out rainy windows or sitting in dramatic lighting, mimicking the aesthetic of 1940s film noir. These images are typically paired with cynical, 'hard-boiled' internal monologues that treat mundane pet struggles—like a delayed dinner or a squirrel that got away—as if they were cases in a gritty detective novel. While there isn't one single 'original' dog, the trope gained massive popularity on platforms like Tumblr and Reddit, where users enjoyed the juxtaposition of a cute pet with the weary, world-weary cynicism of a noir protagonist. It remains a staple for anyone wanting to express melodramatic sadness or mock-serious disappointment about everyday life.