Joseph Roetheli, PhD
Highlights:
Your dog uses facial expressions to communicate, just like you do.
A submissive grin can look strange, but understanding why your dog does it and what it means can help you bond with your dog.
Keeping that quirky smile healthy is important to your dog’s health, and using dental chews like Yummy CombsⓇ can help you stay on top of your dog’s dental care.
It has curled lips, a scrunched-up nose, and bared teeth. Seeing your dog’s teeth might make you wonder if your dog is upset or angry. After all, we mostly associated bared teeth with aggression or a sign to “back off!”
Unlike aggressive bared teeth, the submissive grin is an expression that your dog uses when they are happy and relaxed or slightly stressed. Ultimately, the expression is harmless and is a way of communicating that they are not a threat to the person or other animal that is receiving the grin.
Together, we’ll talk about the submissive grin, along with a few other key traits of dog communication. We’ll also talk about how to respond to your dog when they grin or offer other communication signals.
Lastly, we’ll tell you how to help your dog keep that grin healthy, which also helps keep their entire body healthy.
If you’ve just gotten a puppy or adopted an older dog, you might think it’s impossible to know what they are thinking. But just like we learn to communicate with each other, we can learn to communicate with our dogs.
Some of the most basic ways your dog communicates with you might go unnoticed if you don’t know what to look for. Here are four key ways your dog communicates using their mouths, bodies, and paws.
Unlike aggressive bared teeth (that might be accompanied by a growl or raised hackles), submissive grinning is a sign that your dog does not want to be seen as a threat to another person or animal. It’s a sign of affection that says they trust you and understand that you are in charge.
This type of grinning includes curled lips, visible front teeth and back teeth, and a scrunched up nose. On first glance it may look suspicious, but look for other body language cues to confirm what you see. A dog who is submissively grinning will have a loose body, wagging tail, and an unprotected posture.
How to respond: When your dog shows a submissive grin, it’s a great time for you to praise them, give them a pet, and show them affection. Sometimes, a dog submissively grinning may be doing so because they feel stressed. If you suspect your dog is stressed, you can try removing them from the situation they are in (for instance, leaving a dog park) and petting and offering praise.
There can be many reasons a dog will roll onto their back when you approach them. Most of the time, it’s an act of submission to you as their pack leader. Sometimes, however, the roll can mean they need attention.
Rolling onto the back with stiff legs and a straight body that feels rigid can mean they are in pain or uncomfortable. It may also indicate they feel overwhelmed. In this case, rolling over is a signal of “giving up” or checking out.
How to respond: Most of the time, a roll onto the back is worthy of a big belly rub. If your dog wags their tail and remains wiggly, this means the roll was intended to communicate they are happy to see their pack leader. If the roll results in a stiff body, whining, and a tail tucked tightly between the legs, it can indicate they are uncomfortable.
It can be cute for a moment and quickly turn annoying. If you are attempting to finish a project (or even your dinner) and your dog continually paws at your leg or your lap, you might wonder why they can’t see you’re very clearly busy.
Pawing at a human is almost always a sign that attention is needed. Dogs may paw you when they need to be let outside, when they need to be fed, or when they simply want you to play with them. Some dogs may paw and whine when they want a treat or when they are ready to go for a walk if it is close to their scheduled walking time. A dog may also paw at their food or water dish if either or empty to remind you that they need a refill.
How to respond: Evaluate the situation. Offer your dog the option to go outdoors. If the pawing happens around mealtime, try giving your dog food to see if that eliminates the pawing. If they continue to paw, try taking them for a walk or playing with them to help them release some energy.
One way a dog communicates fear and discomfort is through growling. However, dogs may also use growling to communicate pleasure. Being keyed into your dog’s growl can help you understand how they are feeling.
Similarly to submissive grinning, a dog that growls with a wagging tail, loose body, and relaxed posture is communicating they are happy. Growling that accompanies bared teeth, ears that are pinned back, a rigid posture, and raised hair can mean they feel threatened.
Dogs may also growl when they are in pain, especially if they are touched in an area where they are tender or sore. This will likely be accompanied by the dog pulling away, drawing up their appendages or relocating away from the person who touched them.
How to respond: When your dog growls, look for other body language cues to determine if the growl is happy or angry. If your dog is angry or uncomfortable, do your best to safely remove them from their current situation so they can relax.
No matter how your dog communicates, learning their cues takes time and effort. The end result will be a stronger relationship with your dog that will help you understand them better. Another way to bond with your dog is by taking care of their teeth. Sound strange? We’ll explain.
Bonding with your dog involves playtime, feeding, and learning their body language and vocal cues. It also involves routine care for your dog. One way to care for your dog and create a bonding experience is through daily dental care.
Dental care is important for your dog. Research shows that improper oral care can be linked to serious systemic illness and negative heart, liver, and kidney health. Neglecting your dog’s teeth won’t just cause them to have an unhealthy grin—it can cause them to live a shorter life.
Proper dental care involves at-home tooth brushing and the strategic use of Veterinary Oral Health Council-approved treats and chews to floss and scrub their teeth between professional cleanings. Most dogs need a professional cleaning about once per year.
The best treats to use are those that are:
Many of the chews and treats available on store shelves are neither safe nor effective. In fact, many can lead to choking and even life-threatening bowel obstructions.
Yummy CombsⓇ to the rescue!
Yummy Combs are the first and only dental chew that effectively removes up to 25% of hardened tartar from your dog’s teeth. Yummy Combs’ unique design scrubs and flosses all surfaces of your dog’s teeth, providing a 360-degree clean that also works to keep the gums and gum line healthy.
Because of the wide shape of Yummy Combs and the thin walls, dogs are encouraged to chew instead of gulp, mitigating the risk of choking on pieces that are too large for them to swallow. Our proprietary Slick’M™ ingredient also helps Yummy Combs dissolve within minutes of ingestion, hindering bowel obstruction and supporting easy digestion.
Not only will your dog love the taste and texture of Yummy Combs, but they’ll also be getting serious nutrition. Each Yummy Comb combines 44% chicken protein with longevity ingredients that support their total health, ensuring their bellies are full, teeth are clean, and the urge to chew is met.
Your dog is talking to you, just not in word form. Learning your dog’s cues can take time, but being able to better communicate with them is worth the learning curve. While you’re bonding, make sure you’re taking care of their teeth.
Taking care of your dog’s oral health and rewarding them with a dental treat can help keep them healthy longer and improve your ability to communicate with your dog.
Sources:
Understanding Dog Body Language: Decipher Dogs’ Signs & Signals | AKC.org
Why Do Dogs Roll on Their Backs? | Parade Pets
Why Do Dogs Put Their Paws On People? | PetMD
Understanding Dog Growling | The Spruce Pets.com
Relation between periodontal disease and systemic diseases in dogs | ScienceDirect
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Always feed the right treat size for your dog’s weight category. Always supervise your dog when feeding treats. This product is an adult only dog treat. Always provide ample fresh water for your dog.
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