Does Your Dog ever show you his teeth?

Dog showing his teeth

The first time my dog flashed his teeth at me, i was afraid! I had adopted him as an adult dog, and had no idea what his history was.

I first thought that perhaps he had an injury or was in pain. Then I thought that I had done something to make him angry. I then thought, “How am I going to handle having a dog that gets ANGRY like this?”

I NEVER thought about giving up on him though. There are many reasons that a dog may show his teeth- even to his owner. The goal is to figure out the reason, and to work with your dog to hopefully stop it from happening too often. Or maybe you’ll find that it’s his way of telling you something. For example, if a dog has a pain in his leg, and you try to pick him up or put his harness on in a way that hurts him, he may show his teeth as a reaction to pain.

In some cases, the dog is afraid. Rescue dogs often had some scary situations before they got to your loving home. Maybe the last owner kicked him, or hit him, causing him to be afraid of anyone coming close to him. That could be a reason a dog shows his teeth.

If your dog continues to show his teeth in an aggressive way, you may want to consult a dog trainer, and your veterinarian.

Please be patient and give your dog time and love while you’re working on correcting any unwanted behaviors. In the end, it will be such a rewarding relationship.

The dog I mentioned here ended up living a long, healthy life as our beloved family member. He was with us for over 18 years!