Animal Shelter pro tip: Is the dog smiling or aggressive?
Have you ever seen a prettier smile? Mona Lisa got her name while here at the shelter because she would always "smile" when she saw one of us.
By looking at Mona Lisa's adoption picture, it's a bit hard to tell what the bared teeth is about. Is she scared? Is she being aggressive? Or is she "smiling?"
We wanted to post this picture, not only because we all adore Mona Lisa and are so happy she found her furever home, but because we think it's important to know how to read a dog's body language.
If you saw this same scene in person, you would not only see the bared teeth, but also the wiggly body and wagging tail. Her ears are back and flattened. This is usually a more submissive posture, and she is trying to show you that she is not a threat.
Growling, raised hair on her back, tail that is straight and stiff, tucked between the legs, or held high above the dog's back, whale eyes (where the dog's eyes show a lot of white because she's turning her head away but still looking at you), stiff body, and intense eye contact in addition to the bared teeth would all be signs that she is telling you to back off.
It is important for you to know when a dog is okay and when you need to back off. Not every dog baring her teeth is being aggressive; however, not every dog baring her teeth is "smiling." You have to look at the whole body. Being able to read a dog's body language can possibly prevent bites. Most of them will warn you; you just have to understand their language.
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