How to Respond
If your dog is baring his teeth at you or someone else, take a look at his other body language.If you are uncertain of the cause or it appears that the teeth are bared in an aggressive manner, you should carefully remove yourself and/or your dog from the situation. Then seek the help of a dog professionals which may include a combination of a dog trainer, behaviorist, and veterinarian to rule out a pain related/medical issue. Its important you act quickly before your dog bites someone.
If you are unsure whether your dog is exhibiting a submissive smile or becoming aggressive when he bares his teeth, your best bet is to call in the help of a professional dog trainer or behaviorist. These experts are specially trained to detect the most subtle clues in your dogs body language and behavior. Its always a good idea to put safety first.
If you feel absolutely certain that your dog is simply smiling and his body language otherwise appears submissive, you probably dont need to be alarmed. However, it is important that you keep watching your dog determine if he becomes uncomfortable or nervous in his current situation. You should also keep observing to make sure you are not misreading the signs.
It can be hard to tell whats going on in a dogs mind when he shows his teeth, particularly when the flash of his pearly whites isnt accompanied with a growl. What do you do? 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? Maybe or maybe not depending on the situation.
While we may love the fact our dogs are capable of giving off big cheesy grins more than equal to any super models, just because theyre showing their teeth doesnt necessarily mean theyre happy. Though while he is smiling up at you, you might just want to check hes not, in his own doggy fashion, asking you to remove something hes got stuck between his teeth.
Dogs have very few ways of physically expressing themselves. When theyre in a situation they are not happy with and the need arises and if they feel theyve got a point to make, they may well bare their teeth. Its a canine way of warning you that your dog is just not in sync with what is going on around him. It may be you said bath and he hates taking one, it could even be he overheard the word vet and is expressing his dislike at attending an appointment. It might be hes done something wrong and isnt appreciating the telling off hes getting and has gone into a self-protective mood because he knows hes in serious trouble.
Have you noticed how dogs like to show their teeth sometimes? Has your dog just curled his lip up and showed you his teeth? Has it left you confused as to whether he was really smiling or worried he might have been being momentarily aggressive?
Its easy for a dog to fall into the bad habit of showing its teeth to get his own way if you react wrongly to the situation. If hes asleep in your chair and when you go to move him, he bares his teeth and you back off, hell be in the dominant role. To reassert your control and stop him showing his teeth, you might want to consider some sessions with a professional dog trainer. Theyll be able to advise you on the correct techniques to use to prevent your dog being aggressive toward you.
Q. When my dog first greets someone, she shows all of her teeth and “smiles.” Some visitors mistake this for aggressive behavior, but she’s just very excited and happy. What is she doing and how can I explain it to people who visit?
A. It sounds like your dog is displaying an appeasement gesture, called a submissive grin, to show you and others that she’s no threat. Submissive grins are a way for a dog to show deference to another individual. Usually submissive grins are associated with increased movement and a body posture that is lower than the dog’s normal stance. There are other signals your dog likely uses, along with her submissive grin, to show deference, such as lowering her tail, lifting a paw, licking you, licking her lips and looking away or squinting her eyes.
The submissive grin is a tactic dogs use to shut off aggression from another individual, either human or canine. This behavior is commonly seen in greeting situations where the dog is actively soliciting attention in a nonthreatening manner. Often the submissive grin invites interaction from others, but it’s also possible that your dog is trying to increase distance between herself and others if she feels threatened. It’s likely that your dog has continued “smiling” at you and your family because it’s gotten her a lot of attention in the past. You can actually turn your dog’s smiling into a trick by clicking and treating her every time she does it and adding a word to it, such as “say cheese,” just as she starts to smile, which will encourage more of her smiling if this is a behavior you enjoy seeing. It would be helpful to explain to visitors before they meet your beloved canine that she smiles as part of her greeting sequence but is nonthreatening. You can even channel her greeting behavior into another outlet, like a game of ball or a quick series of tricks she’s asked to do, such as sit and down, as a way to redirect her energy away from greeting mode, where she’s likely to smile, and into a different mode, like play or food acquisition. If you doubt that your dog is smiling as a greeting behavior to show appeasement, or if there is any possibility that there may be aggression involved in her behavior, contact your veterinarian, who may refer you to a veterinary behaviorist or a certified professional dog trainer.
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Why does my dog show his teeth to me?
A dog showing his teeth is typically a measure of aggression, but it may also signify playfulness and excitement. Fear, alarm, protectiveness and illness can cause aggression. With patience, you can discourage and correct this behavior so your dog and the rest of family can live in harmony.
Identify the context of the action. While typically a sign of aggression, some dogs bare their teeth because of excitement. In fact, Dalmatians are prone to “smiling” when they are excited. A flash of teeth accompanied by growling, fixed gaze and tucked-under tail is a sure demonstration of aggression. The same gesture accompanied by a wagging tail, raised hind quarters and stuttered yelps typically signify playful excitement. Do not correct innocent teeth baring.
Identify the cause of aggression by monitoring your dog’s response to various stimuli. This may take a few weeks. If he bares his teeth at strangers approaching, this is a sign of fear. If he does it when people enter the home, this is a sign of territorialism and protectiveness. If he does it when eating, this is a sign of food aggression. Note the causes of his aggression and note the physical gestures that typically precede him showing his teeth. These may include growling, whining and holding his tail still.
Leash the dog so you can control his movement. Using the information you’ve gathered, create a controlled scenario in which your dog is likely to show his teeth.
Distract the dog by calling his name as soon he shows a pre-emptive gesture. For example, growling. If this proves unsuccessful, a gentle tug on the leash should suffice.
Issue verbal praise and a treat each time he diverts his attention from the recipient of his aggression to you. This teaches him that when he looks to you, positive things happen.
Expose him again to the aggression scenario and repeat the process until you are confident of reliably getting your dog’s attention.
Repeat this exercise for 20-minute periods every day. Once you can safely control your dog verbally, practice without the leash. Over time, your dog will associate the stimulus that has been causing his aggression with the positive outcome of receiving praise and food treats. This will neutralize the motivation for showing his teeth.
Simon Foden has been a freelance writer and editor since 1999. He began his writing career after graduating with a Bachelors of Arts degree in music from Salford University. He has contributed to and written for various magazines including “K9 Magazine” and “Pet Friendly Magazine.” He has also written for Dogmagazine.net.