There is some discussion as to whether a golden retriever’s smile is genuine or imitated by the people they adore.
Whatever the case, it’s definitely a form of communication. And a gentle form of it.
“Golden retrievers have three distinct smiles when they are excited: the panting smile, the aggressive smile and the submissive smile. The dogs’ smiles are different from human smiles because they can also indicate other emotions, like fear, rather than just happiness, according to the Retriever Hub.
Its happy-looking smile is what I call a “breathless smile.”
