The PTSD Dog meme, often referred to as the Cupcake Dog, originated from a 2009 episode of the animal behavior show 'It's Me or the Dog.' The star is an Australian Shepherd named Cupcake who stares intensely into the distance while a plate of cupcakes sits before her. The internet quickly transformed this blank, wide-eyed gaze into a metaphor for traumatic flashbacks, typically overlaying images of the Vietnam War or other distressing events. It is a staple of internet humor used to convey shell-shocked reactions to mundane or overwhelming life events, symbolizing that 'Thousand-Yard Stare' often associated with post-traumatic stress.