Why do dogs yawn

Dogs tilting their heads is paw-haps the cutest behaviour known to man. But while a pooch with its head cocked and ears pricked might be the most a So, you may have asked yourself the question, w Back to Blog Share Facebook Twitter.

Why do dogs yawn? Learn About Dogs. Working with high profile veterinary professionals and nutritionists, Pure Pet Food are changing dog food for the better. It was a contagious yawn Have you ever watched your friend yawn and found yourself yawning too? Showing indifference Another reason why dogs yawn is to communicate indifference.

There are more active ways that dogs communicate , but behavior can be a form of involuntary communication.

If your pup experiences experiencing excessive yawning at all times, it may be best to contact a professional trainer or veterinarian to address their chronic anxiety. Have you ever noticed that yawns seem to be contagious?

A friend yawning next to you might cause you to yawn yourself. This might lead you to believe that yawns can be passed on. Not only is this a common occurrence in humans, but dogs seem to catch on as well. So what can this mean? This stands true when they follow us around the house, sitting next to us when we are sad, and even matching our yawns. The next time your dog mimics your yawn, it may be their way of saying they love you. If your dog seems to yawn excessively around other dogs, it may be their way of avoiding conflict.

Yawning can be a sign of submission to other dogs, meaning a dog may yawn if they are trying to appear passive or non-threatening. This can occur when a dog is first meeting a new dog , or if their playtime has become too rough. The next time your pup meets or plays with a new furry friend, watch out for any yawning during their interaction. This can be an interesting way to determine their limits when playing with others, and help you understand their social behaviors a bit more.

Similar to yawning in stressful situations, your pup may also yawn when they are excited. Overwhelming excitement can be challenging for a dog to manage, causing them to bubble over in some situations.

Though excitement is a wonderful thing for our pups, it can lead to common signs of anxiety if they become extremely overworked. For example, if you play a long game of fetch when you get home each day, they may be thrilled the moment you walk in the door. Many times, when a dog is faced with an aggressive dog , he will offer a yawn in response to the aggressor. This simply means that the yawning dog is not interested in any sort of conflict.

Yawning can also be seen in dominant dogs and wolves. When they are confronted with submissive or fearful pack members or strangers, they will often yawn to show their lack of concern with the submissive one. This often seems to have a calming effect on the anxious dog or wolf. The phenomenon of yawns being contagious is an interesting one, and it is not unique to humans.

Many believe this is a sign that dogs are empathetic to both fellow canines and humans alike. Many times, the yawning is a normal part of daily life, just as it is for us humans. Compare Breeds Compare up to 5 different breeds side by side. Yawning is a type of appeasement gesture ; something also referred to as a calming signal. Dogs yawn to deflect a threat. If a person or another animal approaches a dog, that dog may avert his gaze and yawn.

It's a dog's way of saying that he feels threatened or anxious, but that he is not going to attack. Dogs use this type of body language to avoid conflict. Keep an eye on your dog, and you may catch him yawning. It could happen if two children are fighting close to where the dog is lying down, if a child hugs him, when someone scolds him, or in a variety of other stress-inducing situations.

Being aware of what causes anxiety in your dog can help you prevent him from being exposed to those situations.