Kobi
Golden Retriever
Acrylic
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Ask an expert on dog behavior why dogs smile, and you may get a somewhat complicated answer. They might way, it's related to submissive behavior or it's an automatic response to its environment, or that it's just part of the dogs reaction to a situation and is nothing more. They often might light of the act saying, "Dogs don't really smile, at least, not for the same reasons we do."

Ask the owner of that dog the same question and they will respond, of course my dog smiles! I had my own light bulb moment one day when I was 25 feet from my dog Jake and I smiled at him from a distance (speaking no words), and he saw me and procceed to pound his tall in delight that I had acknowledge him, only to get up immediatly and with an open smiling mouth greeted me and asked to have a quick conversation.

In wolves, the expression we take for a smile indicates nervousness or submission to another wolf. Apparently, dogs also are hard-wired to interpret the expression this way. Experts say it signal that he accepts his subordinate position, where a subordinate dog retracts the corner of his lips, which pulls the mouth into that happy face we recognize as a smile. Whether or not clinical experts call him an astute observer, or my genius dog knew when he reacted to my smile with an equally adorable gesture he would be rewarded with love and maybe a snack, don't care. There is nothing better in the world than a smiling hairy face to ward away a case of the "blues"! Thanks Kobi!