What do puppy’s facial expressions mean?
Your puppy has a range of facial expressions to indicate his or her mood just like a child.
When your puppy is happy he will have his mouth slightly open and a little bit of his tongue will show.
If he is being curious to what is going on around him he will probably close his mouth, cock his head to one side and his ears will prick up. He is concentrating on what he is interested in.
If your dog is sitting or stood upright with his ears pricked up, mouth shut and not moving a muscle then he is listening intently to the noises around him. While in that position he is trying to work out what is happening around him.
When he is crouching and licking his lips, he is saying he is only little, don’t harm him.
A clenched mouth and his head turned away from something he has seen means he is feeling insecure and worried.
When a puppy is anxious he will lower his head and his ears will go back. His lips will be loose or pulled back.
Some breeds such as terriers and Dalmatians have smiley faces as they always greet their owners with their mouths open showing their teeth.
