Has anyone taught their dog to smile?

[ramanth]

My great and uncle taught their poodle Pepper to smile. It was always a treat to see him do this whenever we'd visit.

What you would do is hold your index, middle finger and thumb together and point the three fingers at him and say 'Smile!'. Pepper would curl up his lips and show his teeth.

My uncle is deceased and my aunt had a stroke shortly after. She can't remember how they taught Pepper to do that. Neither do my parents.

I'd love to teach Kia this trick, either by saying smile or with fingers, or otherwise. Just not sure how to start...

Has anyone here taught their dog to smile?

For reference, I am NOT going for this kind of smile: (she does this all the time)


I'm trying to achieve THIS smile on command:




Teeth open or closed is fine. Pepper would close his teeth.

[Jadapit]

My hubby taught Diamond how to smile. He kept telling her "smile Diamond" all the time. One day she did it. She will only do it for him. It is so cute. I will have to get a picture of her smiling. I doubt this helped you at all.

[Flatcoatluver]

i know my freinds thaught there poodle how to smile, if anyone else doesn't know how on pt, i will call her and ask.

[ramanth]

LOL! Well at least I know it can be done! Pepper was the only dog I knew growing up that could do this.... then again, didn't have the internet either.

I was thinking of holding her lips up and saying smile when I do this. And if she held them up on her own when I said smile, I'd give her a treat. Think this would work?

[Jadapit]

I think that might work. Give it a try. Let us know when she smiles her first smile.

[finn's mom]

how fun! i wish i had some advice for you, but, i've been wanting to teach finn to smile on command too. but, not with teeth, he just curls up the corners of his mouth, it's so cute. but, i don't know how to really teach him to do it, either. good luck, i hope you're able to do it!

[lv4dogs]

I'd say that would work.

My great Aunt & Uncle had 2 yorkies who were taught how to smile. I don't know how they did it.

Kaige does it on his own, so do a lot of his relatives. He doesn't do it on command, I haven't taught it yet. Someday I will, we are mainly focusing on obedience commands at this time.

[ramanth]

Thanks vinjashira.

Here's my attempt at my sister's party last Saturday. *laughs*



Kia kept curling her lips at Seamus (behind her) and Andy would be too slow with the camera, so I re-created the scene.

[Vette]

I was thinking of holding her lips up and saying smile when I do this. And if she held them up on her own when I said smile, I'd give her a treat. Think this would work?

Ive been trying to teach my dog to smile by doing the samething... so far.. no luck.

[vinjashira]

I remember Paula (lexi_lover) taught Lexi to smile

Here's the thread:
http://www.petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=83766