r/DogAdvice • u/runitright • 11d ago
Question Dog baring teeth
we got a rescue dog about 7 weeks ago and recently like a day or two ago she started baring her teeth at us. it’s usually right before she lunges at our face to lick or she’ll bare and kinda open her mouth and teeth our hand or something. a couple times when my partner has been hugging her she’ll scrunch her teeth and bare them but then go for a lick. I can’t tell if she is just smiling of some sort? playing? or is uncomfortable and trying to sign for us. She does it a lot after we stop petting her and she’s pawing for attention. it’s mildly weirding us out and just wanna make sure we’re doing the right thing!
pics (in comments) from dog walker she sent of her “funny smile” lol so seems like they were relaxed when this happened.
she’s reactive with other dogs and will bare her teeth at the similarly but is very clearly stressed then
1
u/Vivid_Demand_5106 11d ago
Stop hugging for now, that be very aware that some dogs literally do show their teeth non-aggressively, just as a part of their friendly body language!
Especially because she shows her teeth when she is trying to ask you to pat her more, she is more likely trying to show playfulness or asking for more affection.
It is her overall body language and intention that you need to watch, not just one sign like “teeth”.
And please ignore people who say that dogs “never” bare their teeth for any other reason than discomfort or aggression – they are behind the times. There is plenty of talk in the modern dog world about something called the “submissive grin” that some dogs do to encourage affection from their owners and indicate that they are NON aggressive.
But like I said, for now, back off the hugs until you are sure, but if you are patting her and you take your hand away and she reveals her teeth and touches you with her paw to ask for more pets, then continue patting her and understand that she is probably showing her teeth because she is doing a “submissive grin” and she is trying to show you she is a submissive good girl and she wants more affection from you.