We’re using the famous “Sammy smile” to mention that the part of a dog’s mouth that unites the upper and lower lips on either side of the dog’s lip corners are called “commissures.” Commissures are a revealing body part in a dog, but few people know how to read them. Commissures pushed back indicate a fearful dog, for example, while a tense dog whose “fight or flight” response could go either way will have those commissures pushed forward. Learn to read your dog!

Photo by Achim Herzog/Wikicommons