A happy and relaxed dog will have the mouth loosely open. The tongue hangs free and may even drape over the side of bottom teeth. 
A playful dog will have a slightly opened and relaxed mouth. The tongue and teeth are visible. 
A dog will communicate stress or being anxious by panting. The difference between that and a relaxed dog panting is that the tongue hangs down wide in the front and there are no teeth showing like the doggie smile we see in the first picture.
A dog will yawn to either boost his energy or calm himself down. If you notice your dog feeling stressed you can use this calming signal as well.
A dog that licks its lips when there is no food involved can be telling you she is stressed, anxious or unsure of the situation.
An alert or dominant dog will have a closed or just slightly opened mouth with no teeth showing.
A dog that is guarding someone or something will have a slightly opened mouth with a little teeth showing.
An aggressive or fearful dog will have teeth bared in a snarl.
Start making a habit to watch your dog's mouth and how it changes depending on the situation. It takes time and practice but you can learn this wonderful language.
Clear and concise; this is an excellent simple explanation! Great post.
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