What do you think when your dog curls his lip up and shows you his teeth?
Does it leave you confused as to whether he is smiling or worried he might be aggressive?
It can be hard to tell what’s going on in a dog’s mind when he shows his teeth, particularly when the flash of his pearly whites isn’t accompanied with any vocalisation such as a growl. Do you take a step back, or get the camera out and take a picture of his grin, post it on social media and see if he achieves overnight fame on the internet?
So why do dogs show their teeth?
The mouth isn’t just for eating, licking or barking – it also gives you a lot of information about what your dog is feeling.
Some dogs, often smaller breeds like Chihuahuas or Yorkies, can be divas around the house. As small as they are, they don’t hold back in showing their teeth to make sure everyone in the household is well aware of who’s in charge.
In most cases, when a dog bares his teeth he is sending you a clear message to back off. Think of bared teeth as a warning: “I am going to use these teeth if you don’t stop it.”
But teeth don’t always mean aggression—it‘s important to consider the whole body and the context to understand what a dog is saying.
Some dogs display a “submissive grin” or “smile”. The dog shows his front teeth, but a smiling dog is doing just that. You’ll usually also see a lowered head, wagging tail, flattened ears, a soft body posture and soft, squinty eyes along with those teeth. Samoyed’s are well known for having a “sammy smile” and Dalmatians often smile when excited, too.
If you’re not sure of the appearance of those teeth is a good or bad sign, look more closely at the other parts of the mouth.
Mouths can be slightly open, wide open or closed, with the lips loose, or pulled back. The tongue can be hanging out a lot or a bit or not at all, or flicking in and out. Perhaps your dog is panting or yawning. The mouth area gives us a lot of information.
The shape of the lips is also important. The area at the back part of the lips can tell you a lot about the dog’s emotional state. A rounded C-shape is a sign of relaxation and happiness.
If your dog is nervous or worried by something, the back corners of the lips are pulled back, and look V-shaped.
If you want to get good at ‘reading’ dogs, practice will make perfect (as it does in any sphere!). Watch out for email later this month about our new online, live Canine Communication course which will immerse you in the wonderful and fascinating world of how dogs communicate with each other and with us. If you are interested in learning how to ‘speak dog’ you won’t want to miss it.
Finally, if you are struggling with your dog’s behaviour, especially if they are showing their teeth and worrying you, please do ask for our help.
You can book a Doggy Doctor House Visit or Consultation Call here and we’ll sort it out together.
Keep training,
Carol