Defensive threatening

Complex behaviour: the dog wrinkles its nose and/or bares its teeth and displays a facial expression indicating fear (ears pinned back, mouth wide open with commissures pulled tightly back, pupils dilated). A strong threat may be accompanied by growling.
(Schenkel, 1947; Fox, 1971)

The mixed breed male is reacting to the approach of an unfamiliar person with defensive threatening. The colour of the pupils is caused by extreme dilation.

The young male Malinois reacts to a threat display from the female kelpie with defensive threatening.

VIDEO

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The mixed breed male exhibits insistent mounting behaviour towards the female Golden Retriever, who reacts with continuous defensive threatening and tries to move away to seek support from her owner.

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