Do Smiling Dogs Really Smile?
The Merriam-Webster English Dictionary defines a smile (noun) as “a facial expression in which the eyes shine and the corners of the mouth are slightly frowned and which express a certain joy, pleasure, approval or sometimes contempt”. Human smiles can be involuntary, for example when we are having fun, or they can be very performative, for example when we need help from someone we don’t like.
It can be said that smiling is very important in the vocabulary of human body language. We smile to manipulate others as often and naturally as we smile to relate to them. Why can’t dogs, who have spent the last fifteen thousand years being experts at nonverbal communication with humans, couldn’t do the same?
Submissive smile
There are many dog facial expressions that can make us look like we are smiling. Sometimes the dog is just gasping for breath, lips back and mouth wide open; It’s just an attempt to get as much cold air down his throat as possible – it’s not a smile! Some growls may even look like the smile of a person (like a child) who is not aware of the accompanying signs of dog fear (such as a growl, a side glance, a stiff body, a straight, motionless tail, etc.).
But the most common term that is confused with the smile is what behaviorists call the submissive smile. The submissive smile is defined by most people as a dog that expresses happiness. The facial expressions on these dogs, which are also known as appeasing appeasers, actually signify respect and a desire to show that they are not a threat.
Here’s how to train your dog to smile
You can train your dog to “smile” through simple positive reinforcement signs. You will do this by matching the behavior with consistent reward markers such as clicks or the word “Yes!” “To catch”. Every time your dog shows a smile, give him an instant reward. Then use keywords if you can reliably predict that it is a behavior, such as B. when you walk in the door for the first time from work. Say “smile!” And when he shows his behavior, click and reward him!
A smile on your dog won’t make it an expression of true happiness for your dog, of course, but the love and attention your dog receives for that smile makes this behavior synonymous with happiness – and that’s just as good.
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