Is your dog smiling at you? Sometimes, when a dog’s mouth is open – and they’re perhaps panting too – it looks as though they’re smiling.
However, a ‘smile’ from a dog doesn’t always indicate that they’re happy or content, and could actually signify one of a few different things. If you think your pup’s smiling, it might well be because they’re happy – perhaps they’ve just seen you grab their favorite toy! But it could also be because they’re anxious, stressed or worried.
So we can learn more about a dog’s smile and what it could mean, Juliana DeWillems, the owner and head trainer at JW Dog Training & Behavior, has offered some examples in a recent Instagram post. It’s really interesting, so let’s take a look here.
“While photos are only a snapshot in time, they help us practice our observation skills,” says DeWillems. “Do you spot the other body language beyond just the open mouth that helps us guess how each dog is feeling?”
We can work out that the dogs on the left aren’t entirely happy, because their ears are back, their lips are pulled back, and they have either whale eyes (when dogs show the whites of their eyes) or wide eyes.
In contrast, the dogs on the right just look more relaxed in general. Their ears are neutral or forward, there are no wrinkles behind the mouth from facial tension, and the dog at the top has a soft gaze. They look content.
However, dog body language isn’t the only indicator. “You also want to look at context,” explains DeWillems. “Where are they and what are they doing? What’s around them? This gives us even more information about what might be going on.”
For example, DeWillems’ own dog, Lola, does a big mouth pant with her tongue hanging out after a playing session, while her ears are forward and there are no wrinkles at the corner of her mouth.
“When she is stressed or in pain, her mouth is usually open less and her ears are back. Knowing your individual dog’s baseline is crucial,” DeWillems adds.
Remember, every dog is different, and your own dog might have slightly different indicators to a friend’s dog. If you have more than one pup yourself, they might also differ!
If you’d like to know more about what your dog wants to communicate, here are the ways your dog shows they love you and signs a dog is in pain.
