#dogbehavior #frustration #dogtraining #dogowners #pettips
LPT: Dogs often yawn out of frustration
Did you know that when your furry friend yawns, it might not always be a sign of tiredness? As a seasoned dog owner, I can attest to the fact that interpreting our canine companions’ behaviors can sometimes be a bit tricky. But recently, after working closely with trainers, I discovered that dogs often yawn out of frustration rather than exhaustion.
Understanding your dog’s yawns can help you address their underlying needs more effectively. Here are some practical solutions to tackle this common canine behavior:
Identifying the Root Cause
Next time your dog yawns, pay close attention to the context in which it occurs. Is it right after a training session? Or maybe when they’re in a crowded or unfamiliar environment? Identifying the triggers for your dog’s frustration can provide valuable insights into their emotional state.
Possible Triggers for Dog Frustration:
– Lack of mental stimulation
– Overwhelming social situations
– Miscommunication during training
Addressing Frustration Through Communication
Once you’ve pinpointed the source of your dog’s frustration, it’s crucial to communicate effectively with them. Dogs rely heavily on body language and vocal cues to express themselves, so adjusting your communication style can make a world of difference.
Effective Communication Techniques:
1. Use positive reinforcement to reward desirable behaviors.
2. Maintain a calm and assertive demeanor during training sessions.
3. Give your dog frequent breaks to prevent burnout.
Meeting Basic Needs
In some cases, your dog’s yawns could signal more immediate needs, such as hunger, thirst, or the need to relieve themselves. Ensuring that these basic needs are met can prevent unnecessary frustration and discomfort for your furry friend.
Common Reasons for Dog Yawning:
– Hunger
– Thirst
– Bathroom break
Remember, every dog is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. By observing your dog’s behavior closely and implementing these practical solutions, you can help alleviate their frustration and strengthen your bond with them.
Embrace the quirks of your canine companion, and together, navigate through the ups and downs of pet ownership.🐾💕
My dog has a few different yawns. When she’s frustrated, her yawn is short and snappy. Like if I’m taking too long to get ready when she already has her harness and leash on, or if I’m not playing with her. When she’s tired, it’s long and slow and she sticks her tongue out more.
Check out the book ‘Doggie Language’ for a great resource on dog body language.
I don’t think this is universally true. I think that’s one of the many reasons they yawn. I would guess that less than 10% of my dog’s yawns are because they’re frustrated. Most of the time she yawns after sleeping, and she will also yawn when she’s anxious. But rarely frustrated. She whines or whimpers when she’s frustrating.
It can also be anxiety. Haven’t heard frustration yet, but that’s very interesting!
My dog yawns when she’s anxious and it’s a different yawn
And here i thought when my girl (dog) yawns at me that shes tired of my crap (i like tell dad jokes to my kids)
Their yawn can mean so many things. Mine yawns when hes really excited (before playing outside, car rides, when I tell him its dinner time)
My dog sneezes when he is annoyed. Not the full head shaking sneeze, but just enough to blow snot everywhere.
We’ve been saying it is a sign of stress for 10+ years. By stress, we mean stress-hormones and deviation from homeostasis; which could also be excitement! Anything that is “off-normal” can set those stress-reactions off.
So it MAY be the dog saying “im having difficulty coping right now because it is hard to wait/that dog seem scary/i stubbed my toe/my need is not met” but it is rarely because they are tired.
Do cats do this too? We have a cat that’s become way more vocal lately in attempts to get our attention so we’ll play with her. Very often she does this by doing a huge yawn that ends in the cutest, most high pitched meow you can imagine. This is the only time I’ve ever seen her yawn.
My dog yawns when there is a context change of any type.
Get up out of bed. Yawn, slow
Yawn, short and snappy due to:
Go for walk, pick up keys of any type, tie shoe laces, put on jacket, enter room after been away for 30 min, mention word walk, lock door, turn off TV, take off jacket, look out window suddenly, etc…as long as she is included she is happy.
My dog has several different yawns.
She’s got her tired and waking up yawns that are pretty adorable.
She’s got her I need to potty yawns that pair with crotch licking
She’s got her anxiety yawns that pair with the shakes
And she’s got her frustrated yawns that include barking.
And kitties yawn to give you a gentle reminder that they have sharp teeth and they are in charge and if you have a problem with that they have some larger friends (leopards) who like to eat faces.
And why haven’t you scooped the litter box? You have been warned! Now get right to it!