When you shiver, all the muscles throughout your body are involuntarily tensing up (contracting) and relaxing at high speeds. This rapid muscle movement helps warm up your body tissues. This in turn raises your internal body temperature closer to normal. Similar to humans and other animals, when a dog is cold, they may shiver or chatter their teeth as a way to generate extra body heat. If it’s cold and you note this behaviour, be sure to warm up your dog with a blanket, coat or take them into a warmer environment. Shivering and teeth chattering are both possible symptoms of drug or alcohol withdrawal. These are sometimes called drug-induced tremors. In this case, the tremors are induced by not having the drugs.

So you know what triggers teeth chattering, but what about when your dogs’ teeth suddenly chatter in certain scenarios? You might be wondering, “Why does my female dog chatter their teeth when near a male?” or “Why is my dog chattering their teeth when they’re not cold?”

Hey, Wait!

Michelotti A, et al. (2009). Oromandibular dystonia and hormonal factors: Twelve years follow‐up of a case report. DOI: Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. In many cases, your dog’s teeth chattering is probably not a cause for concern - you should decipher your pooch’s body language and the situation you’re in (is it very cold right now, are there visitors in the house? etc.), and note when there’s a pattern of it happening. If your dog’s jaw starts juddering every time they’re in an exciting situation, for instance, it’s clearly a behavioural quirk and not something to worry about. It’s not only male dogs that chatter their teeth after sniffing a female - females, too, will react physically to pheromones and smells. But it could be that your female dog is chattering her teeth for any number of reasons. As far as we know, there shouldn’t really be any sex-based differences, as all pooches (and most mammals, for that matter - including us!) have the ‘Jacobson’s Organ’ situated in the roof of their mouth. In simple terms, if your dog’s teeth are chattering, you should investigate every reason why, whether they’re a boy dog or a girl dog.

A male dog’s teeth might chatter after smelling a female dog. Sniffing a female may cause your male dog to receive an influx of pheromones that flips their nervous system somewhat into overdrive, thus the chattering teeth. In rare cases, your dog’s chattering teeth could be a sign of a neurological issue. Your pooch may even be suffering from a focal motor seizure. During focal motor seizure in dogs, repetitive movement is localised, meaning they shudder or shake in only one part of the body (in this case, the jaw or face). Get in touch with your vet so your dog can be tested for certain neurological conditions. They may receive medication so that the teeth chattering doesn’t cause them any distress. Confusingly, they may chatter their teeth if they’re hot, too. This is because dogs don’t sweat like humans, so while panting, they may have involuntary movements in their jaw such as teeth chattering. Be sure to get your dog into a cooler spot if you notice this.Shaking has been well documented in people withdrawing from both legal medication and illegal drugs, such as MDMA (known as “molly”), methamphetamines, or cocaine, all of which can cause temporary teeth chattering. Shaking and chattering caused by drug and alcohol withdrawal happens because your brain has gotten used to the rush of neurotransmitters like dopamine when you have those substances. It’s become dependent on the high production of dopamine.

Chapter 4: Withdrawal management. Clinical guidelines for withdrawal management and treatment of drug dependence in closed settings. (2009). Your dog’s teeth chattering may be due to dental issues - in fact, it’s very likely. Dental problems and periodontal disease is extremely common in dogs, which can start with a simple toothache or sore gums that causes them to feel discomfort and soreness. If your pooch’s teeth chattering is accompanied by other signs of toothache (change in mood, drooling, reddened gums, pawing at face), it’s highly likely that’s the cause. Prepare for a hilarious sight as the giant teeth come to life, scuttling and chattering around any surface. Watch as they dance and wiggle, creating a spectacle that is bound to elicit laughter and amusement from everyone around. Gn S, et al. (2017). Management of oromandibular dystonia: A case report and literature update. DOI: Older dogs will chatter their teeth for the same reasons younger dogs do, but there may be some age-related factors that are making certain triggers more likely. Your pooch may be in pain, be suffering from periodontal disease or toothache, or may even have arthritis or general soreness. If this persists and teeth chattering seems to be a sign of pain in general, you might want to talk it over with your vet.Make a note of when this happens most often - is it when your dog is scared (during a vet visit, or when there are strangers outside, for example) or during happy times, such as when they’re playing with other dogs or jumping up to a loved and familiar visitor? Their accompanying body language should give it away. You’re probably familiar with 98.6°F (37°C), but a “normal” body temp can have a wide range. Dropping below your normal body temperature is called hypothermia. Raoofi S, et al. (2017). Etiology, diagnosis and management of oromandibular dystonia: An update for stomatologists.