My Dog Bares Their Teeth at Me — Is It a Bad Sign?

Dogs are highly intelligent animals in every respect — us not knowing how to interpret their signals doesn't mean they don't know how to communicate. Your dog baring their teeth is one more form of communication for conveying a message.

Some people think baring teeth means they want to attack us — this is an entirely mistaken belief. A dog can bare their teeth as a warning, but also as a sign of happiness, as we'll explain below.

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My Dog Bares Their Teeth and Growls

Dogs, just like people, are animals with limited capacity to cope with stress, fear or pressure. If our dog is very upset, or has simply gone into a state of panic, they may bare their teeth and growl at us. This is a highly natural way of expressing themselves, telling us we shouldn't approach them.

The dog isn't being bad — they're simply sending us the message "this isn't the moment". They might be very scared and have gone into panic, or simply be very angry and want nothing to do with anyone. Either way, we need to respect their decision and not approach them, or we could get bitten.

Even so, we can't just stand by and let them get angry whenever they want… so when our dog bares their teeth and growls at us, we need to scold them with a very firm "NO!!" Right after, we'll turn our back on them (turning away from them) and ignore them entirely.

We won't look at them, won't call them, and won't talk to them either. We'll act as if they don't exist, simply going about our own business. We need to let them be the ones to come out of that angry state and come looking for us, wanting some cuddles or affection. When this happens, very calmly, we'll reward them for coming out of that angry state.

We should never get angry or physically punish our dog for baring their teeth at us, because without realising it, we'll be feeding their anger and causing this to happen more often than we'd like.

We also shouldn't get too close, since they could bite us — if we notice their tail is rigid and raised, it's because they're very angry. Even so, if we notice their tail is tucked between their legs, brushing against their belly, it's because our dog is very scared. It matters to know how to calm our dog, which is why we should avoid approaching and provoking them.

My Dog Bares Their Teeth But Doesn't Growl

This is where plenty of people get a pleasant surprise, since dogs can smile, showing their teeth this way. It's actually a way of imitating humans — plenty of dogs learn from their humans to bare their teeth at other humans.

They see us smiling, showing our teeth. Instinctively, they try to imitate us by also showing their teeth during certain happy moments. That's why plenty of dogs showing their teeth aren't giving any "don't come near or I'll bite" warning at all — they're smiling.

How Can I Tell if My Dog Is Smiling at Me or Angry?

Mainly through their tail movement. Dogs wag their tail in a very distinctive way when they're happy, waving it from side to side. This is a very simple way of conveying a message of happiness, in their own way.

If our dog, who we know perfectly well, bares their teeth at us while happily wagging their tail, they're obviously smiling at us. Even if our dog approaches another person they already know and bares their teeth while wagging their tail with the same happy message, they're smiling at them too.

Even so, we shouldn't get confused with a dog we don't know at all. A dog we don't know, if they bare their teeth at us while their tail is wagging hard… could be too worked up, which is a clear sign of an attack.

My Dog Bares Their Teeth and Growls at Other Dogs

When we're out walking our dog, we should always stay calm, since our dog can pick up on our nervousness, and as a result, get nervous themselves and become wary of other dogs or people.

Bearing this in mind, we shouldn't let our dog confront other dogs, because if we allow it, this bad habit will only increase. If our dog bares their teeth and/or growls at another dog, we need to give them a correction and scold them with a firm "No!"

It matters a great deal to properly socialise and train our dog from puppyhood, so that as an adult they don't get into fights with other dogs. If we can't control their anger, we should step off the path and get them to sit or lie down. We'll stay there a while until the other dog moves off and our dog relaxes — never praise them for growling.

It's possible our dog shows their teeth and growls out of fear or dislike of the other dog, or simply because they think they need to protect us, that we belong to them. Hierarchy problems can end up in situations like this, where the dog growls not only at other dogs, but at other people who try to approach you. If this is the case, you should learn how to establish leadership with your dog.