Yawning Doesn't Always Mean Your Dog Is Tired

By Liz Palika for The Dog Daily

Yawning is something many animals do, from lizards and snakes to almost all of the primates, including people. Often yawning signifies sleepiness or boredom, but many experts believe yawning is also a social behavior. Psychologist Robert Provine of the University of Maryland in Baltimore County notes that human yawning is not just a gaping mouth but a gaping mouth combined with a stretched jaw, a tilted head and squinting eyes. And a true yawn can be contagious; one person yawns and those watching all soon begin to yawn. Provine suggests this contagious yawning could be a subconscious behavior that ties people together -- a signal of empathy.

Several canine behavior experts believe yawning plays a similar role in canine social behavior. Recently I saw dogs playing at a local dog park use yawning behavior to slow down a really rough play session. Several large dogs were running around the dog park, with a few small terriers in pursuit. When the terriers caught up with the big dogs, they began nipping at legs, jumping at faces, and otherwise showing some really rough play. In the middle of the rough play, two of the larger dogs sat down, scratched, and yawned. After these two dogs yawned, a third and fourth yawned, and the activity level of the play slowed significantly. A potential dog fight was averted -- all because a few of the dogs scratched and yawned!

Recently I was teaching Riker, my four-year-old Australian Shepherd, a new scenting exercise in which he had to find a scented article hid among other articles with different scents. (This is similar to the AKC scent discrimination exercise in Utility-level obedience.) I thought the training was progressing well, but then I noticed Riker was yawning at me. He would make eye contact, hold it for a second, look away and then yawn. He was trying to tell me to ease up a bit. We did something else (a few easy retrieves) so I could stop his training session with praise for him, and then took a break from our training for a few minutes. I let him run, relieve himself, I rubbed his tummy, and then we went back to training. With that break, he was back on course and our training session ended well.

Although some experts have suggested that dog owners can use yawning to change their dog's behavior (for example, to calm a tense situation), I have not seen that to be very effective. For a human yawn to change canine behavior would require the dog to be willing to accept that kind of guidance -- and if the dog were willing -- other training tools or techniques would work just as well.

However, knowing that your dog may yawn to calm you or to relieve stress you may be putting on the dog (especially in training situations) can be very useful. Just recognize that a yawn may signal more than sleepiness!

Kirby Does Eat Commercial Dog Foods

I enjoy preparing the majority of Kirby's meals using wholesome ingredients purchased at my local grocery store. It's not only fun to be creative, it's reassuring to know his body is absorbing the healthy stuff it needs to flourish as opposed to the many dangerous commercial brands I truly believe have such toxins and unsavory ingredients that can cause untimely death and disease.

There are times I'm in a hurry and have forgotten to take a prepared meal out of the freezer in time to thaw, or I know Kirby is craving some crunchy kibble (something I hope to one day figure out how to make). Those are the times I reach for the convenience of commercially prepared dog food.

Having said that, I want to clarify I am extremely particular about the commercial dog foods I feed him. There are many brands that don't meet my criteria and I usually have to order online to get the ones that do.  I probably pay more for his food overall but the veterinary savings more than make up for it.

Kirby, at four years old, is always full of energy, has a keen sense of smell, and his expressive eyes are always bright. His coat is shiny, soft and doesn't shed, the itchy, flaky skin he had as a puppy is long gone, and even though he could stand to lose a pound or two, he always passes his yearly checkups with flying colors. Other than scheduled visits to his veterinarian for vaccines and nail clippings, the only illnesses he has suffered thus far are: 

1. His first Thanksgiving when he was given some turkey and dressing loaded with onions which was before I knew better.
2. The time he was bitten by a large dog.
3. The time he showed signs of illness from some treats made in China.
4. The time we took precautions to have him tested when we discovered he may have been eating a Taste of The Wild product that was recalled (I didn't have the original bag to verify the recall info). The test results were enough to prompt his veterinarian to place him on a good antibiotic.
5. The time he ate several vienna sausages.
6. The time he ate some Hershey Kisses. 

I firmly believe Kirby has a strong immune system, no skin or food allergies of any kind, and bounces back quickly from food induced illnesses because, along with a daily multi-vitamin, he eats a good rotation of healthy ingredients which keep his body in prime condition.  

When choosing a good commercial brand, I always read the ingredients list and if I see something I don't like, I immediately pass.  Next I like to run the product by Dog Food Advisor for their rating after an intense breakdown of the ingredients.  Recently I've also begun using the Slim Doggy App  which can be downloaded on the iphone and hopefully soon on the android phones.  This app even gives the number of daily calories required depending on your dog's current weight. (I really must add the calorie and nutrition content to my recipes).

Once the product has passed these criteria, the final step is passing Kirby's gourmand taste buds which is not easy as there have been quite a few where he sniffed and walked away or took a bite only to drop it back out of his mouth.  Let me tell you once a dog has acquired a taste for truly good food he will not settle for anything less!

You can check my list of the commercial brands I do, or will, feed Kirby HERE.   Do you have any faves I haven't listed that I really must consider? Do you take your dog's food choices as seriously as I do?

Kirby's Playroom

Some would think Kirby is a very spoiled dog because he has his own playroom.  I call it his playroom as opposed to his bedroom because he is not about to sleep in there when I'm home.  He most definitely considers my bed to be his bed.  Its painted in his signature blue color with the cutest window treatment consisting of blinds with colorful drape panels on either side.  A plush colorful area rug provides comfort from the cold concrete floor. It looks like a little boy's room until you realize it has a metal gate at the door and contains a miniature bed and toy box. 

I'm fortunate to own a small three bedroom home which is where I raised my two children.  One is still my bedroom while another has been turned into my home office.  When Kirby was a pup he stayed in a very large wire kennel in this room when I went to work.  The kennel had room for his bed, food dish, and room to play.  He had a water bottle attached to the side.  This not only kept him safe from harm and my home safe from accidents but actually made him feel safe. He always jumped right in when I said "Mama has to go". 

Another safety factor for containing Kirby in this room is the fire alert sticker on the window. If there is ever a fire, he would be easily found as opposed to if he chose to hide under a piece of furniture somewhere in the house because he had become frightened.

As he got older we decided he could have access to the entire room.  He hated the door to the room being closed so Doug installed a pet gate in the doorway which doesn't make him feel shut away. When we have a foster, that dog will stay in the kennel the first few days.  Once I know they are getting along then I leave the kennel open so they can share the room and interact. 

This is looking into the room from the doorway.   We removed the carpet and had planned on installing a flooring.  I later decided I liked the concrete just fine since it is a breeze to clean up a foster's mishap. We may stain or paint it one day.

He has two beds, his cute doll bed and his snuggle sack, and there is a soft mat in the kennel.   I don't think he ever goes in the kennel but I often find the snuggle sack near the rug and the toy I keep on his doll bed is almost always on the floor at the end of the day.

He has a ceramic water fountain in one corner and a few interactive toys are always on the floor. One day I would love to find a unique dresser to store his clothes, leashes, etc.   

We have a routine every work day morning.  When I'm ready to leave we go into the room where he will sit as I place his kibble in one of his interactive toys.  I say "get your breakfast" as I leave.  He never cries but begins working on the toy.   The funny thing is he will not enter the room if he knows it's not a Mr. Job day. If I have to leave him in his playroom on those days he will cry and howl like a banshee! At first it just broke my heart but now that I've gotten used to it I just say I'll be back and I leave.

And this is when it was Kirby's playroom/my office.  What a mess it was!  I finally got energetic enough to clean out that third bedroom which is now my office containing my desk, bookcase and work table.  We both have so much space and yes, there is a comfy dog bed in my office for Kirby.

Does your dog have his or her own room? A special place they can stay when left home alone?