Do Dogs Smile at Other Dogs?
Sometimes, we smile at other people as a social ritual just to express friendliness. Domesticated dogs will do something similar, but they go beyond facial expressions. Dogs use their entire body posture to communicate a message to other dogs, such as “I’m friendly and just want to play,” or, “This is my owner; please keep your distance,” or, “Take one step closer and I’ll let you have it!”
Just as we can tell when people are giving us a “fake” smile, dogs can tell what messages are being conveyed by reading the body language of another dog.
Dogs don’t really mimic our smiles, but they may be triggered to smile more when they see us smiling. Most dogs really like the happy reaction they get when they please humans and quickly learn how to trigger that happy emotion. For some dogs, that includes smiling.
The phenomenon that causes a dog to smile when we smile at them is similar to “laughter contagion.” Just as one person laughing heartily can trigger another person to start laughing, a happy person that smiles can trigger a happy dog to smile back. Vice versa, a grinning dog can trigger an oxytocin release in humans and a happy response.
It is important to remember, however, that every dog is an individual and responds to varying situations differently; what may cause the smile reaction in one animal may not trigger it in another.
Greyhound Smiling While Asleep
Some of the craziest greyhound smiles you see in photos are when they are asleep on their backs. This is more of function of gravity, pulling the flews down in a way that exposes the teeth….
…and, yes, in answer to your question, Lily is, indeed, asleep in this photo. Did I mention that greyhounds can open their eyes and still be asleep?
In the case of a greyhound growling and baring his teeth in his sleep, the best advice is the old adage, “Let sleeping dogs lie.” He is having a dream, and it would not be safe to startle him.
Greyhound Grinning Vs. Greyhound Growling
People getting to know greyhounds for the first time are often surprised at how expressive they are. An article from the National Greyhound Association describes it well:
This is, essentially, a happy article about the adorable smiles that greyhounds display. Chances are, though, that you are reading it, because your greyhound has shown his teeth to you, and you are alarmed and seeking answers. I would love to tell you that you have, 100%, no reason to worry, that no greyhound has ever bitten anybody, but that would be untrue – After all, you’ve adopted a dog, not a saint. I can, however, tell you that your greyhound is extremely unlikely to bite you randomly, without reason, and without signalling you, somehow.
First, let’s establish whether your hound is grinning or growling. Information taken out of context, like this quote from the the Barton Heights Veterinary Hospital, have frightened many new greyhound owners:
.”Postures and body language that may be cautionary are:
“May be” is a good qualifier, in the case of greyhounds. My greyhound, Lily, does the “whale eye” (whites showing) when she wants some of my toast. Even my husband was frightened, early on, by Lily’s wrinkled nose. We found out later that she was having a flehmen response – Pulling up her lip to take in his scent. Must’ve been that new aftershave!
To help you follow this good advice, I have created the chart, below, to compare the smiling greyhound mouth with the snarling one. Which side of the chart best matches your greyhound’s expression? (edit – greyhounds also snap their tails while playing).
If, after using the chart, you feel that your greyhound was upset with you, go to my article on greyhound growling, which I will link again at the end of this article. In that section, you will also find a link which will take you directly to this subject on the Greytalk Forum.