A handful of breeds are instantly recognizable by those long, droopy jowls.
But why do dogs have jowls in the first place? What are they actually for?
Here is the surprising part. Jowls do real jobs. They also bring a few downsides that any owner of a droopy-faced dog needs to stay on top of.
So it pays to understand what dog jowls do, and how to care for them.
What Are Dog Jowls?
Jowls are the loose skin around a dog’s mouth, cheeks, and throat. Every dog has some, but the word usually brings to mind the large, floppy, droopy version you see on certain breeds.
Why Do Dogs Have Jowls?
It would be easy to write jowls off as pure looks. They are not. Dog jowls serve several practical purposes.
That is exactly why some breeds carry far longer, more pronounced jowls than others. The shape follows the job the breed was built for.
Here is what those jowls are doing.
Help Picking up Scents
Hounds bred to track prey almost always have long, loose jowls.
As the dog works a trail, those jowls hang low and sweep the ground. That motion stirs up scent and funnels it toward the nose, helping the dog lock onto a trail no matter how faint.
Help With Swimming
Dogs bred to retrieve from water tend to have longer jowls too. The Labrador Retriever is a good example. They do not look especially jowly, but they have more than a typical land dog.
In the water, those jowls help trap a pocket of air around the mouth, so the dog can breathe more easily while swimming.
Provide Protection
In breeds once used for fighting, jowls guard the face. All that loose skin makes it hard for another dog to sink a bite into the sensitive, important parts underneath.
A bite to the jowls hurts less than one elsewhere, and even if the teeth catch, the slack skin leaves the dog room to twist free and bite back.
10 Dog Breeds With Droopy Jowls
These are some of the best-known breeds carrying long, droopy jowls.
Basset Hound
The Basset Hound is a scenthound, a hunting dog built to follow the smell of prey.
Those long, loose jowls are a signature trait, and they do the scent-catching work the breed is known for.
Bloodhound
The Bloodhound is another scenthound. Similar to the Basset, but a separate breed, developed for the same purpose in a different place.
It was bred as a scent-tracking dog in Belgium, and it is bigger and heavier than the Basset Hound.
Boxer
The Boxer descends from the now-extinct Bullenbeisser, itself a cross of Mastiff and Bulldog stock.
The Bullenbeisser was a hunting dog used to chase down prey and pin it until the hunters caught up.
With that hunting and fighting background, the Boxer’s jowls started out as facial protection.
Bulldogs
The Bulldog is just about the poster child for droopy, loose jowls.
The breed was once used as a bait dog in bull-baiting, which is where the bull in the name comes from.
In that brutal role, those big jowls worked as protection.
Chow Chow
You know a Chow by the droopy jowls and the thick fur, heaviest around the neck, that gives it a lion’s-mane look.
The breed comes from northern China, where it is believed to have started out as a war dog.
Great Dane
The Great Dane descends from a cross of Irish Wolfhound and English Mastiff. One of the largest breeds there is, and another with long, drooping jowls.
The Dane worked as a catch dog, seizing large animals and holding them during the hunt.
Mastiffs
Mastiffs are a whole family of breeds, used through history as guard dogs and pressed into service as hunting dogs, war dogs, and fighters.
Most Mastiff breeds carry long, droopy jowls. A few of the best known are:
- American Mastiff
- Bullmastiff
- Dogue de Bordeaux
- English Mastiff
- Neapolitan Mastiff
Newfoundland
The Newfoundland is known for its giant size and its smarts. It is a water dog, originally bred to work alongside fishermen.
What really stands out is its swimming. This is one of the best water rescue dogs there is.
Saint Bernard
Famous for its huge frame, floppy jowls, and easygoing nature, the St. Bernard hails from the western Alps and was bred for rescue work.
As a rescue dog, those jowls help it track scent and swim more efficiently when pulling someone out of the water.
Shar-Pei
From China, the Shar-Pei is covered in deep wrinkles. That loose skin, jowls included, was developed to help it fend off the boar.
It was also used as a fighting dog, and the wrinkles give it real protection. The Shar-Pei basically takes the padding that droopy jowls provide and wears it head to tail.
Droopy Jowls and Dog Drooling
A little drool is usually nothing. There are times it signals a problem, but most of the time it is just part of being a dog.
Breeds with long, loose jowls are notorious droolers, and for them it is completely normal.
The reason is mechanical. The jowl skin folds into pockets around the mouth, saliva pools in those pockets, and eventually it spills over.
There is not much to do about it, and no reason to worry. Keep a towel handy and move on.
That said, heavy drooling can have a medical cause. So keep an eye out for other signs that something is off.
Dog Jowls Related Diseases
Big jowls come with a higher risk of infections. Without regular cleaning, moisture, bacteria, and fungus settle into those warm folds.
Two of the most common problems in heavily jowled dogs:
Lip Fold Dermatitis
Lip fold dermatitis shows up in the folds around the mouth. Bacteria infect the skin there, leaving it red and inflamed.
It makes the mouth folds smell foul, and it can be genuinely painful.
You can usually head it off by cleaning the skin folds regularly to keep the infection risk down.
Oral Papillomavirus
Canine oral papillomas are small, benign warts that crop up on the jowls, gums, throat, and tongue.
They are caused by the papillomavirus, which is highly contagious and spreads through dog-to-dog contact.
Left untreated, they can turn painful and bring on bad breath.
For any of these, or any jowl infection, get a vet involved as soon as you can.
The simplest prevention is routine. Clean the jowls and mouth regularly and you head off most of the trouble.
How to Clean a Dog’s Jowls
Cleaning jowls is easier said than done. Plenty of dogs do not love having their mouth handled.
Be patient and go gently, especially if there are sores or an infection, since that area can be tender. Stick with it and your dog comes around to having his jowls handled.
Here is the routine:
- Soak a small cloth or clean gauze in warm water and wrap it around your finger.
- Gently wipe between the skin folds with the damp cloth.
- Dry the folds out with a clean, dry towel.
- For best results, finish with a pet dental spray on the jowls.
Aim to clean the jowl folds at least once a week.
And brush his teeth regularly while you are at it, to clear out the bacteria that build up in the mouth.
Final Thoughts
Those long, loose, droopy jowls are more than an adorable feature on a wrinkly face. They pull real physical duty.
The trade-off is the drool, the smell, and the infection risk.
Know the downsides, build a weekly cleaning habit, and step in with the vet when something looks wrong. That is all it takes to keep a droopy-faced dog comfortable.
Resources
- Why Does My Dog Drool So Much? by WebMD
- How to Disinfect a Dog’s Mouth by Cuteness