As owners, we’ve all seen our dogs look happy and even smile sometimes. But is that puppy smirk actually a grin? Can dogs smile like we do?
Dogs can indeed smile, but it’s not exactly like we do (and not for the same reasons). That said, a doggy smile tends to be a good sign that your pup is happy and relaxed. Here’s a breakdown of canine grins, including why they do it.
Can Dogs Smile?
The first thing to know about a dog’s smile is that canine behaviorists don’t consider it a smile—at least not in the way that we humans think of smiling. After all, there are all kinds of doggy expressions that make your pup look like they’re smiling, including open-mouthed panting and aggressively baring teeth (which you definitely don’t want to mistake for a friendly grin!). But dogs do smile when they’re happy.
Our canine companions are experts at noticing and analyzing the behavior of their people. They know how to comfort us or how to make us happy. When dogs smile, we often give them positive reinforcement, such as smiling back or lots of pets. When that happens, your dog is more likely to keep smiling.
You’ll know that your dog is smiling if they also have a relaxed posture and facial muscles.1
Do Dogs Smile at Other Dogs?
Dogs don’t really smile at other dogs, at least not like we smile at other humans to express friendliness. Dogs may exchange a grin but they don’t stop there. Instead, they incorporate the entirety of their body posture to get messages across to other canines. Whether that message is, “Let’s play!” or, “This person is mine, back off,” body language is how dogs communicate.
So, even if you see your pup “smile” at another dog, there’s a lot more going on there than you might think.
Do Guilty Dogs Smile?
You’ve probably seen your dog give what looks like a sheepish grin when you find that they’ve strewn garbage all over the place or chewed up your favorite pair of shoes. But is your pup really giving you a smile because they feel guilty? It’s not likely.
This is another instance where you need to read your dog’s body language to get the whole picture. This type of grin that you see when you find that your dog has misbehaved usually also involves a lowered head and squinty eyes. Their ears are likely flat to the head, and their tail is probably wagging. This look doesn’t indicate guilt; it means submission.
A submissive grin is something that dogs do when they know that you aren’t thrilled about what they’ve done and is meant to defuse the situation and let you know that they aren’t a threat.
So, it’s less that they feel “guilty” and more that they’re trying to say, “Oops, please don’t start yelling.”
Conclusion
Our four-legged pals can technically smile (or at least pull off a look similar to smiling), but they do it more in response to us and our own smiles or emotions rather than because they are happy. The key to figuring out if your dog is giving you a happy smile is reading the rest of their body language. Your dog may actually be giving you a submissive smile or even baring their teeth in aggression, so keep an eye on what their ears and tail are doing when your dog looks as if they’re grinning!
Featured Image Credit: Crystal Alba, Shutterstock
