Why do Golden Retrievers smile? I have some extra time on my hands (thanks COVID), so I took a stroll through the park and I swear I saw a Golden that seemed to be smiling at me. A smiling dog?! I dug deeper and here’s what I found.
So, why do Golden Retrievers smile? The Golden Retriever’s facial expression looks so much like a smile, it is natural for us to assume our pet is happy. Of course, sometimes he is. But different smiles can display other emotions too, including confrontation and subservience.
As a dog-lover or the owner of a Golden Retriever, it is useful to recognize what each of your pet’s smiles is telling you. In some cases, the difference between the smiles is subtle. Expressions that can look very similar can actually show completely different emotions.
The 3 Types of Golden Retriever Smile
Most people believe Golden Retrievers are a happy breed. This is partly because they are so expressive. The goofy smile you see on a Golden Retriever who is chasing a stick, or a ball leaves no doubt that he is enjoying the game. But a Golden Retriever’s smile displays more than just happiness.
There are actually three types of Golden Retriever smile, all with different meanings:
1. The Panting Smile
The panting smile means your Golden Retriever is hot. This is the smile you see after your dog has been running around, playing games and enjoying himself.
You can recognize this smile by your dog’s wide-open mouth. His tongue is hanging out, and he is panting. Your Golden Retriever is overheating after exercise. Panting and hanging out his tongue helps him to cool down.
The panting smile makes the Golden Retriever look happy. He looks like he is having fun. His eyes are a natural oval-shape meaning he is calm and relaxed.
2. The Aggressive Smile
The aggressive smile is not a common sight in the Golden Retriever. This breed is rarely aggressive, and you are much more likely to see happy smiles!
But, if your dog feels threatened he will:
- Bare his teeth.
- He will pin back his ears and he will face the threat head-on, using a strong, confrontational stance.
- His eyes will be wide open in a challenging stare.
- The aggressive smile is likely to include a warning growl.
This smile should be easy to recognize because you will not see it very often.
3. The Submissive Smile
The submissive smile is your Golden Retriever showing he is not a threat to the person or animal in front of him.
Your dog uses the submissive smile when he meets a more dominant dog or a person he does not wish to challenge. This smile looks like the aggressive smile because the dog’s teeth are on show. The difference is that he is keeping close to the ground to show his obedience and he is not growling.
When submissive, your Golden will not make eye contact, or he will look quickly then look away.
As the owner of a Golden Retriever, it is vital to learn to read your dog’s moods. For example, an aggressive smile requires a different response to the submissive smile.
The two expressions are easily confused but they show opposite moods. But if you look at your dog’s stance and demeanor, this will tell you what your Golden Retriever’s smile means.
Does a Golden Retriever’s Smile Mean the Same as a Human Smile?
As dog owners, we like to think that our Golden Retriever is happy. It’s true they seem to be a cheerful breed. But when our pet seems to be grinning, does this have the same meaning as a human grin?
This is unknown. Our pet cannot talk, so we can only guess how he is feeling.
Experts say that humans like to label their Golden Retriever’s facial expression as a ‘smile.’
The panting smile looks so much like a human grin it is natural to think it has the same meaning. The panting smile usually happens when the dog is playing, so, of course, he probably is happy! But, science cannot prove this.
Human beings have a close relationship with dogs. Our pet is part of our family after all!
A pet and an owner often grow to have a deep understanding of each other’s moods. But that wonderful doggie ‘smile’ may not mean exactly what we like to think it means!
4 Easy Steps to Teach Your Golden Retriever to Smile on Command
Golden Retrievers are a very intelligent breed. They usually understand what their owner wants them to do. They are also easy to train because they are very eager to please. You can teach your Golden Retriever to smile in the same way you teach any other command, such as ‘sit’ or ‘roll over’.
It will take time and patience to train your Golden Retriever to smile on command. You might think your mature Golden Retriever is too old to learn new tricks, but this is not the case!
Some say it is important to keep training your dog as he gets older. This stimulates his brain and keeps him alert. It is sometimes easier to train an adult dog because they are less excitable and more focused. An older dog may also already be familiar with hand signals.
Follow these four easy steps and teach your Golden Retriever to smile on command:
- Watch your Golden Retriever closely. You will soon be able to recognize the signs that he is about to smile.
- As he smiles, give him a treat. Pat him and praise him, so he knows he has done what you want him to do. It is important to reward him as soon as he smiles so that he understands what he has done well.
- Repeat this process many times, gradually phasing out the treats.
- To get your Golden Retriever to smile on command, use a simple hand signal. If you use this signal all the time you are training, he will associate this action with smiling. (a useful trick for when brushing their teeth! Check out this DIY doggy toothpaste guide)
Do Golden Retrievers Understand Smiles?
Golden Retrievers instinctively understand the body language of other dogs. The bared teeth, eye contact and stance of the aggressive smile is a clear warning. The relaxed eyes and mouth of the panting smile. and the non-threatening body language of the submissive smile is clear too.
It is vital that dogs can read the body language of other dogs. A misinterpretation could be fatal.
But what about human smiles: can Golden Retrievers understand human smiles?
Some say dogs learned to read human moods so they could live close to them. Studies show that dogs can recognize when their owners are smiling. The dogs in the study recognized the smile as a positive visual cue.
In another study, dogs were shown happy and angry human faces. They were able to recognize the difference between a happy smile and an angry frown.
These studies suggest that dogs can understand smiles in other dogs and in humans. But, when it comes to human smiles, scientists say the evidence is inconclusive.
Related Questions
Golden Retrievers always seem to be cheerful! They are confident dogs, so they walk tall with a wagging tail. They get on well with people and other animals. This friendly nature makes them appear happy. They are not aggressive. A barking, growling dog seems less happy than a calm, quiet dog!
Golden Retrievers may always look happy, but to make sure they are, there are a few things you can do. This breed needs lots of attention. Give them love, and they will give it back. Golden Retrievers love water, so take them for a swim. They are also a very social breed, so spend time with them and give them access to other animals too.
