# Aggression?



## Kahalaplum (Jul 15, 2019)

Hi all,
I would greatly appreciate your input.
My 2 year old standard shows teeth and I'm wondering if it's aggression. I have a link to a video below. Notice that shows teeth 3 times, including when he is jumping. He also shows teeth if I reprimand him.
Please ignore my embarrassing baby talk.
Thank you so much to anyone who responds!


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## MerrysSarah (Dec 9, 2018)

My parents sheltie did this when he was happy. I also used to dog sit a doberman that smiled like that all the time when she was excited/happy to see you

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## bluegirl1997 (Aug 10, 2019)

It just looks like her happy expression to me!

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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

A happy smile - dogs who live with people who smile a lot often mimic their expressions. I cannot see a trace of aggression, just soft eyes, soft mouth and a happy face. Making the face when reprimanded is probably an attempt at propitiation.


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## Kahalaplum (Jul 15, 2019)

That's what I thought too but just wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing an important behavior. Thanks a lot everyone!


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Well fjm, I had to look up "propitiation". I was pretty sure from context what it meant, but it was a new one for me. Thanks for challenging my vocabulary. Kahalaplum, my old girl used to smile when she knew she was in big trouble; usually for jumping up on the kitchen counter and getting into the breadbox. I could never stay mad at her when she made that sweet face.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

This made me smile. I think you have a very sensitive, happy boy ?

Edit: I babysat a doodle that did this when he saw my husband. He LOVED my husband. The lifted lips appeared to me as a show of pure submissive adoration, with a dash of over excitement.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Your dog is smiling ! Consider yourself one of the lucky ones ! 

I’ve had a Yorkie who did this, many years ago and it was so endearing ! I’ve encouraged other dogs to do it, to no avail. They either have it or they don’t.


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## Jbean (Feb 18, 2019)

Our last poodle used to smile. She had to be really excited to do it. One of her real sisters was also a smiler. My parent's Irish setter has a big grin that he holds for a long time whenever anyone comes into the house. He looks like the picture of a wolf in a fairy tale book, but he's so clearly happy when he does it. 

Our poodle had ticklish lips. She would reflexively curl her lips if you tickled just above them. It made face shaving tricky.


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## Moni (May 8, 2018)

Yep that is smiling - watch the never ending wag of the tail. Dalmatians do this a lot and some of the reputation as an aggressive breed comes from that...Like almost all things Dals take smiling to the extreme...


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## Newport (Jul 16, 2014)

I love the smiling Dalmatian photos! So cute


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

The body language of this dog is pure happy. Loose and wiggling, tail wagging rapidly, mouth open and relaxed. I see no signs of aggression in this video whatsoever. 

Aggressive posture is stiff. Eyes are hard and intense. Tail may wag slowly. Mouth is often closed. Many dogs will freeze momentarily before air snapping or worse, biting. I see none of this here. Just one happy dog.


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