Does anybody know what a dog's yawn means when you're giving a command? I get this from both my dogs, I'll tell them what to do and they'll obey but usually yawn with a high pitch whine, sometimes even show some side teeth. I'm thinking this might be a rebellious thing??
Jennifer Marshal Webboard User Reg: 08-02-2007
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Loc: Southern Oregon
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I don't think it is rebellion unless accompanied by not obeying a command. Most dogs yawn with a high pitched whine. A yawn is common doggy language for being non confrontational - a dog will often diffuse a situation with a yawn just like you described.
Jennifer, thank you! I always ignored the behavior because they did do the command, but always wondered if it meant something. What a load off my mind There's so many people on here with real problems, thanks for answering my question
Jennifer Marshal Webboard User Reg: 08-02-2007
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Loc: Southern Oregon
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No problem, Cari! It may not be a "problem" but it shows you pay attention to your dogs. Questions get answers, answers mean learning .. so I always like questions!
Jennifer Marshal Webboard User Reg: 08-02-2007
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Loc: Southern Oregon
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Yes, I have noticed stress yawning at around level 2, it is typically not a sign of high stress and dogs can yawn for various reasons, including just plain yawning(sleepy) as Connie mentioned.
Duke will often yawn when he wants something and is being made to wait, sort of a frustration release.
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005
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Loc: North-Central coast of California
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In the Calming Signals book by Turid Rugaas, a few actions are mentioned as sometimes being used as calming signals.
Moving slowly; sniffing the ground; sitting/lying down; lip-licking (a quick flick); yawning -- "dogs may yawn to reduce their own stress and try to calm others;" blinking, averting eyes, turning face away, showing their side to another dog ......
Dogs yawn to relieve stress, too. So it's often interpreted as a sign that dog is feeling stress.
That's what I always thought too. I got a lot more yawning during obedience commands when Thor was younger. To me it signaled "huge reinforcement time" because I felt the stress was coming from complying when he REALLY wanted to be doing something else. And also time to stop the session because I was losing him.
Funny, I got the high pitched yawn today when I told him to "leave it" when we came across a squirrel carcass,while hiking. He walked away but I know every bone in his body wanted to do the dead carcass roll
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Re: Yawning
There's so many people on here with real problems, thanks for answering my question 
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