What
does it mean when your dog repeatedly yawns? Are they just tired? Perhaps, but
there are many possible reasons for repeated yawning and it can signal different things.
Yawning was thought to be a way to replenish oxygen to the brain, but more
recent studies have found it to be a means of communicating.
Dog yawning could mean:
Stress
or Anxiousness
Often
you will notice that your pup yawns when they are in a stressful situation, such
as: a visit to the veterinarian’s office, traveling, getting groomed, or
visiting an unknown place. The act of yawning is used as a calming signal for
themselves, but also to let you know they are not comfortable in the situation.
Conversely, being too excited in a positive situation or place can also trigger
yawning. The over excitement is also a stressor to their system and the yawning
is a way to calm themselves down.
If
you find your pet yawns often and it is stress induced using Psy-Stabil can
help. It is a gentle calming formula for both dogs (and cats). It works over
time to help your stressed pet “cope” better with triggers that cause anxiety.
Indifference
The yawning may also be
communicating indifference to a situation.
It has been observed in both domestic and wild canines that they will
yawn to diffuse a situation. If your pooch is an alpha dog, yawning is a signal to calm other dogs or in the case of a submissive dog, it may to show they do not
want to engage.
Contagious
We all do it…one person it
the group yawns then the entire group follows. Dogs also respond to other dogs
yawning, but most interesting is that they will also respond to human yawning, especially
if it is someone well known to them.