Yawning Isn't Always Sleepiness

In human culture, yawning signals tiredness or boredom. In dog communication, yawning serves a very different purpose — it is one of the primary "calming signals" in the canine behavioural repertoire.

Dogs yawn to:

• Self-soothe when they feel stressed
• Signal to other dogs or humans that they are not a threat
• De-escalate social tension

Common contexts:

• A dog that yawns during a training session may not be bored — it may be mildly stressed by the pressure to perform
• A dog that yawns when a stranger reaches toward it is communicating discomfort

Recognising the context of a yawn — whether the dog is in a relaxed setting or a tense one — transforms it from an overlooked reflex into a clear behavioural signal.

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Environmental Sensitivities

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