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Teeth chattering in dogs can simply be a sign your pet needs to wear a coat or sweater on winter walks. However, it’s not just an involuntary response to the cold that can cause your canine’s canines to clack.
Being aware of the various medical and behavioral reasons for teeth chattering in dogs will help you understand when it’s a cause for concern or simply a quirky characteristic.
Why Do Dogs Chatter Their Teeth?
Below are some of the most common causes of teeth chattering in dogs.
Pain Response
Dr. Alison Gerken, DVM, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist and clinician in the San Francisco SPCA Behavior Service, explains that teeth chattering—especially when it occurs regularly or without an obvious trigger—is often associated with physical discomfort.
One common reason is dental problems, such as periodontal disease, fractured or rotten teeth, and oral tumors. Good dental care can help prevent dog teeth chattering related to oral pain. This includes regular tooth brushing, dental checkups at your vet, and avoiding overly hard chews or toys that could fracture your dog’s teeth.
Teeth chattering can also be a symptom of TMJ disorder. “It can occur in response to pain in the jaw, particularly in the temporomandibular joint (the joint where the upper and lower jaws connect),” Dr. Brian Collins, DVM, an Extension Associate with the Cornell Riney Canine Health Center at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, says.
An additional cause of teeth chattering in dogs is gastrointestinal issues, such as nausea, vomiting, stomach ulcers, and reflux.
Cold Response
Shivering is the body’s response to being exposed to cold temperatures. “It’s the result of our muscles alternately contracting and relaxing, which generates heat and helps warm us up,” Dr. Collins explains. When this happens in the jaw muscles, teeth chattering occurs.
While teeth chattering in itself isn’t dangerous, hypothermia in dogs can occur when they’re exposed to cold temperatures for too long, and this can be life-threatening. “If the teeth chattering decreases, but the dog isn’t obviously feeling better, it may be a sign that their body temperature is dangerously low,” Dr. Collins says. Signs of hypothermia include an increased heart rate that then becomes too slow, rapid breathing followed by shallower breathing, confusion, lethargy, dilated pupils, and loss of consciousness.
“Your dog’s ability to tolerate the cold will depend on a number of factors such as their size, breed, age, coat length and thickness, health, and how well acclimated to the cold they are, as well as the ambient temperature, wind, and presence of precipitation,” Dr. Collins says. This means that some dogs, such as Sighthounds with short, thin coats and little body fat, could start chattering their teeth because of the cold sooner than, say, a double-coated sled dog breed.
For dogs whose teeth are chattering because of the cold, coats or sweaters don’t just look cute—the right kind can keep your dog cozy on wintry walks—and heated dog beds and a few more dog blankets can work wonders for cold-sensitive senior dogs.
Seizures or Other Neurological Conditions
Sudden teeth chattering in dogs can be a sign of focal or partial seizures. “As opposed to a grand mal (or generalized seizure), which results in whole body movements, focal seizures can result in only movement of part of the body,” Dr. Collins says. “Sometimes this could be limited to the movement of the jaws and may be expressed as teeth chattering.”
This neurological cause of teeth chattering can occur before, during, or after the seizure, and your dog may also stare into space or act lethargic or agitated.
Dr. Collins points out that another uncommon neurological condition, White Shaker Dog Syndrome, results in full-body shaking and sometimes teeth chattering. This condition occurs in small, typically white dogs.
Excitement or Anxiety
Teeth chattering can occur when your dog is in a heightened emotional state. “It is not uncommon to see this behavior when a dog anticipates something positive, like food or a toy, or when they are feeling anxious, such as during a veterinary visit,” Dr. Gerken says. Typically, the teeth chattering stops when the stimulus is removed.
Dr. Gerken recommends looking at the context of the situation and the accompanying dog body language if you suspect the teeth chattering is behavior-related.
“If a dog is chattering due to fear or anxiety, their body language may include a lowered or tucked tail, flattened or pinned-back ears, panting, lip licking, yawning, or avoiding eye contact,” she says. “Some dogs may also tremble, pace, or exhibit more overt signs of distress, such as barking, growling, or lunging.”
Excited body language is typically more upbeat and alert. “The tail may be raised and/or wagging quickly, the ears may be perked forward, the dog may be fixated on the object of their excitement, such as a treat or a toy, and they might lean forward in anticipation,” Dr. Gerken says.
Breed Type
Some breeds are predisposed to medical conditions linked with teeth chattering. Dr. Gerken explains that dental disease is more common in some small-breed dogs, such as Dachshunds and Yorkshire Terriers. “Similarly, breeds prone to seizure disorders, like Boxers, may also display teeth chattering as a symptom,” she says.
There are also anecdotal observations that suggest certain breeds are more prone to teeth chattering for nonmedical reasons. Dr. Gerken gives the examples of Greyhounds and other Sighthounds, due to their sensitive natures, and toy breeds that may be more sensitive to temperature changes. “However, there is no research confirming that specific breeds are inherently more likely to exhibit teeth chattering,” Dr. Gerken says.
She explains that it’s possible this perception stems from observation bias. “For example, if Greyhound owners are frequently told that their breed is highly sensitive or prone to anxiety, they may monitor for behaviors like teeth chattering more closely than owners of breeds not typically associated with an anxious disposition,” she says.
When Should You Take a Teeth Chattering Dog to the Vet?
Assessing the timing, context, and severity of teeth chattering in dogs, along with any accompanying behaviors or symptoms, can help you understand if it merits a trip to a veterinarian.
If it happens briefly and in response to a specific stimulus, like being offered a treat or seeing a squirrel, it is likely behavioral,” Dr. Gerken says. “If the chattering occurs in various contexts, including times when the dog is resting or calm, it may indicate an underlying medical issue.”
Look out for other signs your dog is in pain. Dogs with dental problems, for example, may paw at their mouth, drool excessively, have bad breath or a loss of appetite.
However, Dr. Gerken always recommends consulting a veterinarian to rule out underlying medical issues if the cause of recurring teeth chattering is unclear, seems unrelated to a specific stimulus, or occurs after starting a new medication—it is sometimes a side effect of certain behavioral medications used to treat anxiety disorders. Taking videos of your dog while their teeth are chattering can sometimes help your vet to make a diagnosis.
How to Reduce the Chance of Teeth Chattering in Dogs
Once a veterinarian has examined and cleared a dog of physical or medical issues that could be causing a dog’s teeth to chatter, there are steps you can take to reduce the chance of teeth chattering relating to the cold, anxiety, or dental problems.
Dr. Janet Cutler, PhD, a certified applied animal behaviorist, suggests several steps to help dogs chattering their teeth due to anxiety. “Firstly, if possible, give your dog space from whatever is causing the fear or anxiety, so you can begin to change their emotional reaction,” she says. “To work on their emotional reaction, you want to use desensitization and counterconditioning, which is a process where you very slowly and carefully expose them to the fearful thing and associate it with something positive, such as treats.”
She recommends reaching out to a certified behaviorist if you’re struggling to keep your dog’s anxiety levels low enough for them to take treats or make progress.
This article is intended solely as general guidance, and does not constitute health or other professional advice. Individual situations and applicable laws vary by jurisdiction, and you are encouraged to obtain appropriate advice from qualified professionals in the applicable jurisdictions. We make no representations or warranties concerning any course of action taken by any person following or otherwise using the information offered or provided in this article, including any such information associated with and provided in connection with third-party products, and we will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages that may result, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death.