A
"submissive gesture" refers to a physical action or behavior that shows submission or deference to someone else. It can indicate a willingness to obey or yield to another person's authority or dominance.
Full definition
Should either dog show
a submissive gesture, they are returned to their marks and released again.
Some dogs even «smile», which is
a submissive gesture where the dogs bears their teeth, but their lips are much more relaxed than when they are snarling.
Moving the ears back farther is
a submissive gesture, meant to appease the person or another dog that your dog views as dominant.
This is
a submissive gesture similar to nervous urinating.
This behavior may be spurred in part by a weak bladder, but it is really more of
a submissive gesture from your dog.
It is
a submissive gesture.
Licking is also
a submissive gesture, and your dog may lick you from time to time as an expression of affection and submissiveness.