If you have ever been on the receiving end of a slobbery greeting at the front door, you have already had a close encounter with your dog’s lips. But those soft, seamless flaps around a dog’s mouth look nothing like our own, which leaves plenty of owners genuinely puzzled.
So let’s settle the question properly, from the anatomy right through to the little lumps and bumps that are worth keeping an eye on.
Yes, dogs really do have lips. They are just built differently from ours. A dog’s lips run in one continuous fold around the mouth rather than forming a neat upper and lower pair. The upper lips are called flews, and together they help dogs eat, drink, carry things, cool down and communicate.
Key Takeaways
- Dogs absolutely have lips, but they lack the defined red-bordered upper and lower lips that humans have.
- A dog’s upper lips are known as flews, and the lower lip is thinner and closely attached to the jaw.
- Lips help dogs hold food and water, lap and drink, carry objects, protect their teeth and gums, funnel scent and pant to cool down.
- Most dogs have black lips thanks to a pigment called melanin, though colour varies from black to brown, tan, grey and even pink.
- Breeds with heavy, drooping flews, such as Bloodhounds and Saint Bernards, tend to drool more.
- Lip fold dermatitis, injuries, sudden colour changes and new lumps are all worth a vet check.
Do Dogs Have Lips? A Look at the Anatomy
Yes, they do. The confusion is understandable, because a dog’s mouth is lined by one continuous band of soft tissue rather than the two distinct lips we see on people. There is no obvious pink border, no cupid’s bow and no pucker, so the whole thing can look like a single seamless flap.
Anatomically, though, dogs still have an upper and a lower lip. They are simply shaped for a very different job. Canine lips are more muscular and fibrous than ours, packed with nerves, tiny glands and a rich blood supply, which makes them sensitive and surprisingly capable.
Flews: the upper lips
A dog’s upper lips are called flews. They are usually larger than the lower lip and hang loosely over it, which is typical of meat-eating animals. In tight-lipped breeds such as Greyhounds, Dobermanns and Collies, the flews sit neatly against the jaw. In breeds like Bloodhounds, Bulldogs and Mastiffs, they hang low and loose in heavy, pendulous folds.
The lower lip
The lower lip is thinner and more firmly attached to the jaw, so it moves less than the flews. You may notice small serrations or bumps along its edge. These are normal, and they are thought to help cushion the sharp teeth so they do not cut into the sensitive lip while a dog eats or chews.
What Are a Dog’s Lips Actually For?
Dog lips are far more of a multi-tool than ours. Here is what they get up to every single day.
Holding food and water
Lips help a dog gather food and keep it in the mouth, and they form a rough seal that stops too much water escaping when a dog drinks. If you have ever watched a dog make an enormous mess at the water bowl, spare a thought for how much worse it would be without any lips at all.
Lapping and drinking
Dogs do not sip the way we do. They curl the tongue and flick water upwards, and the lips help direct and contain that splashy motion so at least some of it ends up where it should.
Carrying and picking things up
From a favourite ball to a stolen sock, dogs use their lips alongside their teeth and tongue to grip and carry objects gently. It is the same soft dexterity a retriever uses to bring back game without crushing it. If your dog is a committed collector, our guide to why dogs love carrying sticks is worth a read.
Protecting the teeth and gums
The lips act as a soft curtain over the teeth and gums, covering and cushioning them. The little bumps on the lower lip play their part here too, helping keep those sharp canines from nicking the mouth.
Helping with scent
Dogs live through their noses, and their lips help. Curling the lips can channel more air and scent particles towards the nose and the roof of the mouth. In scent hounds with long, low flews, those hanging lips are even thought to help stir up and trap ground scent as the dog tracks. It is all part of the reason dogs read the world so differently to us, much like the way certain smells that dogs find off-putting can send them running.
Panting and keeping cool
Dogs cannot sweat through their skin the way we do, so they rely on panti