Snapchat hot dog: Everything you need to know about the purest thing on the internet right now

The augmented frankfurter has danced its way into people's hearts, minds and viral tweets

Snapchat has done it again. First they pioneered the self-destructing message. Then they introduced filters that gave users radiant skin, flower crowns, and cute animal faces.

Now comes what could be their finest work: a hot dog. And not just any hot dog, but one that breakdances.

The cutest meat-based mascot that has ever done an upside-down hand spin, the little sausage has slid into people’s hearts and minds since it recently became available on the messaging app.

It could be the best thing on the internet right now. Or at least, until something else comes along, which could be very soon. But right now it really is up there.

What is it though?

Donning green headphones and a bun as a jacket, the augmented reality frankfurter does two things – teeters around to his pick of upbeat music before pulling off an audacious spinning dance move.

Its popularity is largely down to his innocent grin and impressive skills, but also the advanced technology behind it that has made Snapchat really stand out over the last couple of years.

How does it work?

In the same way Snapchat’s filters are able to detect the shape of your face before overlaying different visual effects onto it, the hot dog find surfaces to do its thing on, and can be pushed out of the way by things in real life.

Got any funny videos of that happening?

Yes. The hot dog’s ability to respond to objects has led to some good online video content, showing it getting hit out of the way by an airport trolley and a train.

How do I get it?

Once you’ve opened Snapchat, all you need to do is flip the front camera on (the one for selfies) and hold your finger down on the screen. Once it’s recognised your face, it will give you all the latest filter options.

Scroll through them until you find the hot dog, and then flip the camera back to plop it in front of you.

You can use your fingers to make it bigger and smaller by pinching up and down on the screen.

The Snapchat hot dog in The Independent's US office

If you don’t already have Snapchat, you can get download it here for the iPhone and here for any Android device.

What gender is the hot dog?

Everyone seems to think it's a male hot dog, whatever that means. Some have even nicknamed it "boi". But so far, no gender has actually been given.

I want more funny hot dog content

Ok.

Here it is trespassing in comedian Brandon Wardell’s bed

Here it is inexplicably getting bigger and bigger

Here it gets boiled alive

Here it is as the Statue of Liberty

Here it is in Drake's "Hotline Bling" video