Dog Community

Posted : 12/8/2006 2:07:47 PM

Wow, that really WOULD be an interesting trick! Definately something fun to work on!

Growing up, we lived 2 houses down from a big black Lab who liked to smile. Being out in the country where no one fenced their dogs, everyone was real familiar with everyone else's dogs. The first time I saw that Lab run across our yard wagging his tail, smiling all the way....well, you can take a guess my response, lol!

Also, when my mom was about 15 or so, she went to visit her sister (who was in her 20's by that time). My aunt had just adopted an adult Rhodesian Ridgeback from someone. My mom fell asleep on the couch & woke up to a cold nose in her face. When she opened her eyes, what does she see, but this huge dog smiling at her. Needless to say, she was a bit alarmed, having never seen a dog do that in a friendly way.

Xerxes

Posted : 12/8/2006 4:39:23 PM

ORIGINAL: jjsmom06

The best part about having your dog "smile" for you is that now you have a new "trick" or behavior that you can reinforce. Start by bridging when your dog offers the behavior. (Click or verbal reinforcer-"good boy") and then offer the command after a few tries of this. The smarter the dog, the shorter the time between the connections. All of a sudden you have a dog that "smiles" on command.

Cheryl...if you can train your hound mix to "smile on command" it is truly a WONDERFUL thing! I have seen a few greyhounds do it and it is totally amazing to watch them. Also, if you can "train the behavior", then pm Ed (xerxes) and he can tell you some "fun" tricks to go along with those smiles. [] right Ed???

Congrats on having a "smiling dog" Cheryl...I would love to own a sighthound someday that did this![]

There you go again...be advised this is an adult trick...with a certain hand cue, a gesture that one might see used often during rush hour. *ahem* I didn't think that trick would become quite public. But it can be entertaining. [8|] Not that I would ever do anything like that of course. [8|]

spiritdogs

Posted : 12/8/2006 5:05:19 PM

This is what's known as a "submissive grin". Some people say that it is only given to packmates who matter, as a form of greeting behavior.

TexasDaisy

Posted : 12/9/2006 2:30:14 PM

Xerxes, I can't tell you how big a laugh I just got out of that....[sm=lol.gif] Brilliant, in a crude sort of way, lol!

jjsmom06

Posted : 12/9/2006 3:32:05 PM

Xerxes, I can't tell you how big a laugh I just got out of that.... Brilliant, in a crude sort of way, lol!

Brooke...isn't that awesome!!!! I feel bad putting Ed on the spot with that trick, but I LOVE that he taught him to smile "on cue"!! [sm=rofl.gif]

Xerxes

Posted : 12/9/2006 8:33:27 PM

Well we have to practice the trick again, since it has now gotten out of vogue. So we're back on it again. By the way, he will still smile with just a verbal "smile."

Rabbit

Posted : 12/10/2006 10:02:12 AM

Balto "smiles" too, and it was rather unsettling the first times I saw him do it, when he was around 7 months old. He doesn't do it as often as he used to, but when he gets really exited he'll stick his neck way out at me and wiggle all over and give me this huge, toothy grin. [

] Sometimes he'll do it if he's in trouble, too. If I catch him in the garbage, he'll turn around and back up and grin at me, wiggling. I never thought about teaching it as a trick, though . . . hmmm! [

]

BEVOLASVEGAS

Posted : 12/17/2006 11:56:29 PM

2 of 3 of the dobies in my house smile. The third one is working on it. There is nothing funnier than someone else walking into my house with me, and being met by 2 "smiling" dobermans.

leslie__chessies

Posted : 12/18/2006 2:24:47 AM

Chessies are known to smile. They also "roo" in greeting- sound like a mixture between a howl and a growl. Jasmine does neither, but Indy both smiles and roos.
Here some pics of some smiling Chessies:

the_gopher

Posted : 12/18/2006 11:21:00 AM

In all my years of working with dogs, I've never seen one smile! I'm glad I stumbled upon this thread...b/c if I ever do (and the dog is displaying otherwise happy/friendly behavior) I will know not to run in terror lol!

diane303

Posted : 12/18/2006 11:28:54 AM

I use to have a border collie mix that smiled and waggled all over when we came home. She had a black face with one crazy blue eye and one marble eye and with her teeth bared in a grin, could be pretty scarey to some people who didn't understand.

When I was dating my husband, I had her at his house for the day and he returned from work before me. He had never seen this behavior from her before and was backed in the corner with Crystal grinning and waggling all over the place. He inched over to the phone and called me up to tell me "Crystal is going to attach me! What do I do!" I told him that he should be honored and to call her over and give her a good scratch on her ruff.

mollymoo

Posted : 12/18/2006 12:36:53 PM

My daughter has a black lab mix that smiles. Cacey started doing it on her own about 5 years ago. She only does this to humans. The first time she smiled like this I was alittle scared. Now I know shes just saying hi as she does this everytime I stop in to visit. Now all you have to say is Cacey smile at anytime and she gives you a big smile. So cute.

jenhuedepohl

Posted : 12/18/2006 3:43:44 PM

My dad's Dalmation was a big smiler. We could ask him to smile for us and he reply with a big cheesy grin.

Dad could always tell if Luke had gotten into trouble when he got home by how big Luke was smiling. If Luke was grinning, Dad would go from room to room to figure out what he chewed up that day. I know that they say that dogs don't feel "guilty" and they are just reacting to *you* when you find the misdeed. But both Luke and my Dal would have "guilty" looks at the door long before you ever figured out what they did, and only when they had done something they knew was wrong.

mondayblues

Posted : 12/19/2006 8:57:01 AM

If I may ask, how would a dog showing his teeth be a sign of submission? I mean, how does that convey submission in a dog's POV?

diane303

Posted : 12/19/2006 3:31:12 PM

It isn't really a show of teeth that indicates aggression! The truly aggressive dog's lips will tighten up and slide forward. Think about an angry human face. As the person gets angrier, his/her lips tense up more and more until the teeth are clenched and showing. The eyes get intense and hard. The submissive grin is just the opposite. The lips go back and sometimes they go back so far that the teeth are exposed. The skin around the eyes crinkle up and the eyebrows com forward. Again think about the smiling or submissively nervous or appeasing person....... same expression.

The book, "For the Love of a Dog; Understanding Emotions in You and Your Best Friend" by Patricia B. McConnell goes into dog expressions and emotions. It's a very interesting book.

Odd Question: Could My Dog Be Smiling?