When do you know that a work of art is “heckin’ goob”?

When a canine critic says it is, that’s when.

Following in the pioneering paw prints of Doge, the shiba inu whose fractured syntax was immortalized in about a million memes, dogs have taken to social media to offer dogspeak commentary on any number of topics.

Now, here comes Cebe (pronounced “Seh-bee,” short for “Ceberus”), an 11-year-old lab/pit bull mix with an eye for art. Check out his evaluations in “What Does Cebe Say?” at #CebeDog on Instagram.

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“What Does Cebe Say” about doggos that protect. “Cebe says dis art is best. Dis goob strong doggo art. Doggo goob at protec hooman. 15/10 paws approv!” Located at The Guggenheim @guggenheim Grrrrrrrrrrr!! ARTIST Roy Lichtenstein #art #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogcritique #dogcritic #roylichtenstein #dogart #wdcs

A post shared by Ceberus W. Dog Wiley, Phd (@cebedog) on Apr 9, 2020 at 4:18pm PDT

Cebe comes by his talent naturally, as his owner is Mona Wiley, public programs manager at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that Wiley cultivated his interest.

The concept evolved from conversations Wiley was having with friends about their creative pursuits in the midst of stay-at-home orders.

“I needed a new creative outlet,” she says. “I was doing Facebook videos of me cooking and bothering Cebe and making him dance and doing art with him. Randomly after that, the concept evolved.”

Wiley chooses a piece of art, takes a photo of Cebe in an appropriate outfit and “helps” him write his commentary. Her friend, Michael Carsone of Irwin, does the photo edits to create the final image.

“I didn’t want to be that pet parent,” she says, but the results were too funny not to share.

From Vincent van Gogh to Roy Lichtenstein to Pittsburgh’s own Joyce Werwie Perry, any artist is fair game for Cebe’s critical eye.

“I look at them from a dog’s perspective,” Wiley says.

She chose van Gogh’s “Landscape at Auvers in the Rain” because Cebe doesn’t like rain. Dressed in a yellow slicker and matching hat, he makes his disdain known.

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Hear Cebe’s thoughts about rain on this segment of “What Does Cebe Say” “Dis art guy make art about rain. Cebe dont know why art guy make rain art. Rain is Cebe worst enemy. Cebe no like him ears getting rain. Even when Cebe do a goob shake he still wet. #RainGoAway” “Rain-Auvers” by Vincent van Gogh #art #dogsofinstagram #dogcritique #dogcritic #vangogh

A post shared by Ceberus W. Dog Wiley, Phd (@cebedog) on Apr 19, 2020 at 2:05pm PDT

Cebe’s take on Peter Paul Rubens’ “Daniel in the Lions’ Den” drew the attention of staff at The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where the painting resides.

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Cebe is exploring other museums on today’s segment of “What Does Cebe Say” “Cebe see dis tb show on clickclick wit dat lady and guy. Deez is not doggos. Dis art do a bamboozle for Cebe. Dat guy look heckin bamboozle like Cebe. #MoreDoggoArtLessCattoArt” Located at: The National Gallery of Art (Washington DC) Daniel in the Lions' Den c. 1614/1616 Artist information Sir Peter Paul Rubens Thanks to that guy @salaciusbcrumb for dis goob photo. Cebe super handsome doggo. #dogcritique #artdog #nga #dogsofinstagram #museumfromhome #doggo

A post shared by Ceberus W. Dog Wiley, Phd (@cebedog) on Apr 6, 2020 at 10:50am PDT

“They reached out and asked if they could share it,” Wiley says. “This has been wonderful and really fun for me.”

It’s also pretty heady stuff for a rescue dog from a Blair County shelter who Wiley says “is a bit neurotic and has separation anxiety.”

Not only has he made a name for himself in the art world, Wiley says, he’s become a celebrity at his doggy day care.

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