Sometimes we can see how our dog yawns. The first thought that comes to mind is "Oh, my little one is tired and wants sleep". But is it so?
Yawning is a reflex where the mouth opens wide and the lungs take a deep, involuntary inhale. Because it’s involuntary, you can’t control your yawing. Dog yawning is the same as human yawning. But in fact, it can have more reasons than just fatigue.
There are two types of reasons: physiological (going from an anxious state to a calm state or waking up) and emotional (entering a veterinary clinic or a stressful situation). Let's learn about these reasons and how to act in such cases.
Content:
- Why Do Dogs Yawn So Much
- Why Does Your Dog Yawn When You Pet Them
- Why Do Dogs Yawn and Lick Lips
- Why Does Your Dog Yawn in Your Face
- Why Do Dogs Yawn When You Talk to Them
- Conclusion
Why Do Dogs Yawn So Much
So why do dogs yawn? Of course, there are times when a yawn is, well, just a yawn. But at the same time, yawning is also a way for dogs to communicate. Maybe your dog tries to say something.
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But if you want to understand your pet's body language, you should look at the whole situation. Pay attention to his eyes, ears, mood, and appetite. Only then will you be able to understand "Why does my dog yawn so much?".
Pup is bored. Let’s imagine a situation where you play with your dog and he starts yawning. Hmm, it seems that it was not the most interesting game. The pet can even refuse this activity. In this case, try to make the game easier or offer your dog an interesting toy.
Your dog is anxious or stressed. If you’re seeing a lot of yawning along with tail tucked, ears back, avoidance, cowering, looking away, lip licking, and big eyes, you can assume that your dog is feeling anxious or stressed. Don’t worry!
In most cases, it is enough for the dog to sleep and to be in a quiet place for him to feel better. With a Petcube Camera, you can observe how your pet feels anywhere and anytime.
This device allows you to know how the pet's day went and what caused his anxiety. For example, children hugged them too much or were frightened by the thunder. But if the dog's bad mood and yawning continue for several days even after rest, consult a veterinarian.
Why Does Your Dog Yawn When You Pet Them
You might think your dog is tired of you when you pet him and he yawns. Not! They are yawning because they are excited. While you pet the dog, they are filled with emotions.
When these emotions reach their peak, a good way to release them is to yawn. You can also see how dogs do this before walking and eating. Such an interesting ritual helps them get rid of tension.
Why Do Dogs Yawn and Lick Lips
Why does my dog keep licking his lips and yawning? Do they want to eat? I don’t think so.
Licking the lips is an additional sign, which I wrote about above and is worth paying attention to. This signals us about some deviations and indicates the possibility of such health issues as:
- Digestive issues;
- Dental problems;
- Stress or anxiety;
- Bloat;
- Inhalation or swallowing of a foxtail;
- Intestinal parasites.
Recall what happened to the dog in the last few days and contact the veterinarian. It is very convenient to use the Pet Emergency Fund in emergencies.
With this pet insurance, you can protect all your pets from emergencies for less than $1 per day. Subscribe now and get 24/7 vet support anywhere and compensation for the treatment of your dog or cat.
Why Does Your Dog Yawn in Your Face
In this case, you should again pay attention to the circumstances under which the dog yawns. Do they look healthy? How was their day? Are they excited about something or worried?
If they feel well and you have nothing to worry about, there are two options:
- It was a coincidence. You took them into your arms the moment they wanted to yawn.
- They feel empathy for you. In one study that described the contagious effect of humans yawning, scientist Nick Dodman (BVMS, Dipl. ACVB, and Professor Emeritus at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine) found that dogs yawn more frequently when watching their owner yawn compared to watching an unfamiliar person yawn. This fact confirms that your pet is emotionally close to you. It also means that dogs are self-aware and aware of the feelings of others.
Why Do Dogs Yawn When You Talk to Them
You explained something to your pet for a long time, but he only yawned in response. Don't be in a hurry to get angry. It was not disrespectful or annoying. Dogs use special "calming signals" with each other and sometimes with people as well. So yawning in response to the owner can be one of them.
"Calming signals" are used by dogs to show their friendly attitude or a request to stop some activity. You can accurately determine the reason only by taking other circumstances into account in this situation.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, your pet can't directly indicate their needs with words. This makes the process of communicating with a dog complicated because a pet's body language is much more difficult than a human's verbal language. However, our goal is to help the dog and be a good parent to them.
Good news: if you are reading this article, you are doing well! So go on, learn, and consider all the signs that the dog's body shows. Good luck!
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