strange dog behaviors

[wolf_Q]

I met this dalmatian today. I was just waiting for somebody we picked up to get in the car (2-door) and it ran up to me. A really sweet dog, it kept nuzzling me to pet it. But it did the weirdest thing when it was petted...it bared its teeth. And kept them bared like that the whole time, but it was definitely not threatening. It just seemed like some weird thing it liked to do. Anyone seen a dog do this or any other strange behaviors?

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

I have never seen any dog do that WEIRD!!!

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

Actually, my brother in law's boarder collie does that. She is smiling! If you say smile Willa, she we "grin" and bear all of her teeth.

[ellensy]

Gee, that's really weird hehe. Maybe that was a smile just like what DoggiesRTheBest said. My Beethoven is actually mad whenever she bared all her teeth

[jennifert]

A friend of mine growing up had a springer spaniel that would growl and bare her teeth when you scratched her fanny. It was scary and funny at the same time! You wanted to pet her but you were scared she was getting angry at you for doing it!!

[lovemymaltese]

I have never heard of a dog to do that, dogs can be as weird as people at times. Maybe he was smiling

[Corinna]

I beleive it was a smile, Merlin is the biggest smiler I have ever had runs around most of the time smiling. My old cocker would smile when I came home only. Merlin will do it on comand .

[Cincy'sMom]

I was reading about dalmations when we first got Sadie (her mommie was a dal) and a lot of things I found said dalmations often do this as a friendly greeting, but often misinterpretted becuase it looks mean. It is the Dalmation smile!

[wolf_Q]

Thanks for that info Cincy'sMom! I thought I had heard about some dogs doing this as a "smile" but it just looked really odd. I didn't know that dals had a tendency to do that! It didn't bother me any because I knew that the dog was friendly, but it could be a bad thing if strangers thought the dog was going to bite them or something.

[Eeyore]

I have a labrador who does that. He does it when he's really excited to see someone who is equally excited to see him. We're pretty sure he's trying to smile!

His name is Mr.Piggy.

[gini]

Originally posted by Eeyore
I have a labrador who does that. He does it when he's really excited to see someone who is equally excited to see him. We're pretty sure he's trying to smile!

His name is Mr.Piggy.

Mr. Piggy is wonderful! Looks like a smile to me!

I agree, the Dalmation was smiling at you - even though it startle you if you have never seen a dog do that!

[LoudLou]

I've known 2 dogs that do this. 1 was a Flat Coat Retriever named Corner. He was GREAAT! So, much fun. The 2nd I just met. Her name is Otter. She is 1/3 Rottie, 1/3Chow, /1/3 Pit. She is the SWEETEST thing! It was VERY unnerving when she did this though because she "Looked" menacing.

[aly]

Well I just noticed something very strange in the past couple days about Lolly. You can't say the word 'bingo' in front of her or she goes CRAZY! Its so weird. She runs around whining and barking. I'm sure it has something to do with her previous home, but I just don't know what about that word drives her nuts. I was thinking either they had a dog named Bingo or a serious addiction to the game.

By the way, Mr. Piggy is GORGEOUS!!!

[Cincy'sMom]

Sadie's "word" is uh-oh. You say that and she runs over and gives kisses. Not really sure why...she didn't start doing it til she was about a year old and we have had her since she was 8 weeks. Just one of those things I guess