Dogs use facial expressions to communicate with other dogs and also with their owners. For example, he might give his owner a sly look, wanting a piece of food or some affection.
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These pets can also raise their eyebrows, increasing the size of their eyes, in clear gestures of affection and love for their owner. Not to mention when they squint their eyes, showing that they are serious or irritated. The smiling dog, however, is more difficult to define.
A lot of people understand that the more relaxed jaw pose, tongue out, is synonymous with a smile, but that's not quite the case. This is because we need to understand that the meaning of “smile” we are talking about is a meaning restricted to us human beings. Animals, however, are different.
The way we smile, in a demonstration of satisfaction, joy or pleasure, is not a typical behavior of dogs, according to specialists. Despite this, there are studies that indicate that this moment of relaxed jaw means a moment of greater relaxation and safety for the dog.
However, this is still not a fact that can be said with certainty. It is even more complicated to want to attribute a smile to an animal, since a smile is a cultural gesture. Proof of this, the smile has had different attributes and meanings throughout history, and may even vary according to intentions.
Not necessarily. That open-mouthed gesture might, for example, just mean that a dog is tired. So, if after a long time of playing, running around and the like, your dog will surely stop and gape.
In addition, that moment of open mouth with tongue out also represents heat, as it is through this agitated breathing that canine breathing occurs.
However, be careful: if your dog keeps his mouth open after light exercises, this could indicate heart, breathing and even psychological problems.
Therefore, always take your dog to the vet for a check-up and always refresh it with water after a walk. We are sure that, even if you don't smile, your dog will be happy with this care.