How to teach a dog to smile

Most dogs smile naturally if you just make them happy.

Some say you can teach a dog to smile by continuously pushing his lips up into a grin as you give him a treat. You can teach a dog to smile using other methods that will also keep him happy. Here’s how to teach a dog to smile.

Things You'll Need

• Dog

Instructions

1. Find his pleasure points. Dogs will automatically smile when you find the exact spot that just loves to be scratched.

2. Make him drool. When a scrumptious aroma hits the dog’s nose, his lips will usually curl up in anticipation of that treat. Particularly smelly treats include mile turkey sausage, turkey dogs and anything beef.

3. Harass him. Teasing always gets a reaction.

4. Engage the dog in an activity he loves. We’ve all seen dogs break into grins when they are at the dog park, romping on the beach or bounding towards you as you hold out your arms in welcome.

5. Teach him key phrases. Both my dogs smile wide when I say things like, “Treat time,” “Come here darling darlings,” and “Want to go for a walk?”

Tips & Warnings

• Brush your dog’s teeth if you’re going to make him smile often or you’ll have to look at yellow chompers.

• You can try method that dictates pulling on his mouth but it probably won't make your dog happy.