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Why Do Dogs Stick Their Tongue Out? Possible Reasons

Written by: Dogster Team

Last Updated on February 16, 2024 by Dogster Team

brown pitbull puppy lying on grass

Why Do Dogs Stick Their Tongue Out? Possible Reasons

Have you ever tried taking a serious picture of someone, and right before you press the camera button, he sticks out his tongue? There always seems to be one person who hams it up for the camera. It’s called giving the photographer the “old raspberry.”

 

I know that our dogs watch everything we do and try to mimic us. It doesn’t matter if we have trained them to do these things or if they’re picking up on our little habits. So, it would stand to reason that they’d be able to give us the old raspberry, too!

I’ve often seen my dogs stick their tongues out after a great meal. They rub their tongues around the outside of their mouths and whiskers, making sure they consume every last morsel of food. But this is just part of their food regimen. What I’m talking about here is catching dogs sticking their tongues out at the most interesting (and often funny) times.

My Schnauzer boy Woody loved to stick his tongue out to catch snowflakes falling from the sky. This was reminiscent of the scene in A Charlie Brown Christmas where the characters do the same.

My other Schnauzer boy Buzz rarely if ever stuck his tongue out for the camera. He would sit patiently smiling for the camera every time we took a picture. This would include the lengthy and frequent photo sessions that his momma had with him.

My Schnauzer girl Dusty likes to stick her tongue out to show her happiness when she receives a favorite treat. She will also allow her petite tongue to slightly stick out when she’s being petted on her belly before and after a long nap. Once she fully wakes up, she returns to her normal puppy nibbles and kisses.

 

In my recent Dogster interview with Victoria Stilwell, I caught her Chihuahua, Jasmine, sticking her tongue out at her Lab housemate, Sadie.

 

Jasmine had the prime spot on Mommy’s lap, and she showed how proud she was, as if to say, “Ha! It pays to be the small dog!” There are some more wonderful reader-submitted captions in the comments section of the story.

In fact, Victoria loved the picture so much that she held a Facebook caption contest. Here is the winner she chose:

Sadie: “Okay, I give her the LOOK — and then what?

Jasmine: “Then when she kneels down you take your tongue like this and lick her cheek and … ta da! Treat. That’s how you train a human.”

It always brings a smile to my face when I capture one of these special moments in a photo. It really doesn’t matter to me if their tongue shows when they’re feeling happy or playful — or when they simply want you to stop taking photos!

If you enjoyed this article about dog behavior, check out these others on Dogster:


Featured Image Credit: CoreRock, Shutterstock

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