Which mouth shape indicates a defensive threat?

Which mouth shape indicates a defensive threat?

• A. Lips retract vertically exposing only front teeth
• B. Mouth closed and relaxed
• C. Lips retract horizontally exposing all teeth
• D. Mouth open and panting

Answer: (C)

A defensive threat is shown when a dog snarls to warn you to back off, with the lips pulled back so the teeth are fully visible. This horizontal retraction across the mouth creates a broad display of all the teeth, signaling a clear warning rather than an outright bite. That full-teeth exposure is the most recognizable and specific cue of a defensive threat. The other mouth shapes either look relaxed (mouth closed), indicate arousal or cooling (panting), or show only the front teeth with vertical lip retraction, which isn’t the classic full-teeth snarling used as a warning.

A defensive threat is shown when a dog snarls to warn you to back off, with the lips pulled back so the teeth are fully visible. This horizontal retraction across the mouth creates a broad display of all the teeth, signaling a clear warning rather than an outright bite. That full-teeth exposure is the most recognizable and specific cue of a defensive threat. The other mouth shapes either look relaxed (mouth closed), indicate arousal or cooling (panting), or show only the front teeth with vertical lip retraction, which isn’t the classic full-teeth snarling used as a warning.