Today, I'm putting the spotlight on the elusive (and adorable) submissive grin, featuring the charming Vibe and a throwback snapshot of Vibe who btw is not displaying a submissive grin. This was me trying to teach him to smile.
What is a submissive grin and what does it mean?
In the world of canine communication, the submissive grin stands out as a unique and heartwarming gesture. This adorable display is a sign of appeasement, an invitation to friendship. It's a shout that says, I'm no threat to you! When a dog grins submissively, they reveal their front teeth, creating a seemingly human-like smile that often sparks joy in the hearts of onlookers or fear in those unfamiliar with the gesture. It's a captivating blend of vulnerability and goodwill, accompanied by unmistakable body language. The telltale signs include a lowered body posture, with the smile pointed up, a wagging of the tail that extends beyond the rear end, along with pulled-back ears.
The submissive grin is often heritable, and may also signal stress and/or a lack of confidence. But it is never a sign of aggression or intended as a threat.
A Glimpse into Teethy Training Adventures
My attempts to teach my dogs to smile have been fails. It's definitely beyond my skill level. The image above and the 2 below are from when Vibe was a young adolescent and I tried to teach it. This was as far as I got before giving up.
View, my younger Border Collie has quite the impressive natural submissive grin. When meeting new people, the goofy boy gets all squirrely and has the best grin imaginable. While I wish I had the images to back up this claim, View's charming grin is not easy to capture on camera, because he grins mostly for other people, or when he's in my lap demanding pets.
I have tried to capture and mark it, but one click or 'yes' sends him into a whirlwind of chaos. Maybe, I didn't mention, that he's a little 'different.'
Some day, maybe I'll get the grin on cue figured out, but for now, I'll accept defeat and move on. If you have some training tips for me, I'm all ears.
4 Comments
Feb 2, 2024, 9:04:43 PM
Nicole Hrustyk - It's a hard one to teach and not a necessity. Peeing on cue is way more useful.
Feb 2, 2024, 9:00:37 PM
Kay - Awww! I love a teefers shot! When my pup was a puppy I tried my best to teach her how to smile but it didn’t really pan out 😂 I decided to let her quirks shine and capture whatever she wants to give me 😄 i did get her to pee on cue though 😂
Feb 2, 2024, 7:46:51 PM
Nicole Hrustyk - hahaha, sometimes I think it's best to let them do their weird thing. Unless, of course your competing and need precision. I just like the quirks of each dog. :)
Feb 2, 2024, 7:42:49 PM
Kim - That is adorable!! I was lucky to teach my dog to sit and she does the weirdest leg movements off to the side when you ask for a paw. We just gave up and went with it. Very interesting training concept that I never considered.