Hello

Does anyone know why dogs clash teeth, I hope you understand what I mean, my three will stand infront of each other open their mouths as wide as possible and make wird whiney noises..

Is it play? ??

Looks very strange

My boys do it when they smell a bitch in season or something else that is REALLY interesting.

Marianne

like chomping ? my eldest does this when he smells a bitch of after licking the cats bums the skin on his head moves backwards and forwards too :p

All my girls do it to each other occassionally.  I dont have a good reason why, but my thoughts are these.  Only in the pecking order it is the next one down who does this, never 2 higher or lower, possibly a testing phase, but again only a theory. The 2 pups aged 10 months and nearly 12 months are doing it very frequently at the moment, both lowest rankers and both needing that 1st step on the ladder so to speak.  However, considering that this is how they behave, it has also proved they have excellent bite inhibition, or they would have ripped each other apart by now. :D It is a little like playfighting, although the snarls and baring of teeth looks and sounds quite viscious. They also display this behaviour over a toy etc, until one gives in and the other walks off with it held very high and trophy like.

Hmmm well Ron is definetly the boss in our house he seems to be doing it alot with our new puppy!

But then Ron will do it with Rose and Bille and Rose as well, what goes on inside their minds???

They never hurt each other, but if someone who didnt know them saw would think it looks quite frightening, but it seems to be more noise than anything else!

I call it teeth fencing :D Mine do it all the time when they are playing esp if they are getting very exhuberant

Anne

That's a good one, Anne.  Teeth fencing, I like that. :-D

Mine do it in play too.  They snarl and growl at each other and yet their eyes are dancing with joy.  Fleer and chaser is a favorite game between them. 

I always find you can tell a lot by looking into a dog's eyes (your own dogs, not strange ones, strange dogs can see it as a threat) and facial expressions to know what they are thinking. 

I call it 'Hippo Mouths' !
No idea why they do it though, but all of my dogs have - during play
Kat

<Fleer and chaser is a favorite game between them.>

Mine do that too Spender twice round the garden, bounce off the patio door, swap roles and away again, brilliant to watch isn't it :)

Anne 

Sure is Anne, they are so funny :-D

They switch roles all the time too.  I must admit I've been guilty of joining in at times :-D  I'm afraid I'm just as daft as them :-D :-D

Yep definately play, my girls do it all the time, not the boy so much now since he has matured! (said with tongue in cheek).

Yep, my two do it too. ANd the associated noise is horrendous. Think the neighbours are about to report us for holding dog-fights in our living room :D