During a live webinar recently, we talked about how dogs use all sorts of ways to communicate, including using their bodies.
One of the common things all dogs do it to shake themselves – I’d love to be able to shake myself like a dog – just think how much water you could shed quickly after a shower instead of having to dry yourself with a towel.
But dogs don’t just shake to dry themselves when they are wet. They shake for many other reasons too.
One of the most common reasons is shaking after some sort of stress – excitement, arousal, or worry. Dogs commonly use shaking as a tension reliever – they literally shake off the stress. You’ll see it after two unfamiliar dogs have said hello to one another, or after a dog has met a new human, or when the dog has just completed something he found difficult or stressful. (We humans do something similar – we take a deep breath then shiver after doing something stressful, and we’ll stretch after a long stint working on a computer.)
You’ll also see dogs shaking themselves after a play session. In that case, it signals that the dog is moving on from one thing to another, saying “Well, that was fun, what next?”
Another situation where you’ll usually see a shake is after your dog has had a bit of a scuffle with another dog. In this case it’s used as a relief, “Phew, thank goodness that’s over.”
It’s important to watch for your dog doing a shake-off when you’re training him. It might mean he’s finding it or found it difficult to do what you’ve asked him to, so note that shake and ask him to do something easier to build his confidence back up. Your dog might also stop to scratch for a similar reason.
We’ll look for and celebrate a shake-off when working with a fearful or stressed dog, because it signals that the dog is starting to relax and we know we can continue working with that dog and that he’ll be learning.
Keep those “why” questions coming and please ask us for help if you’re concerned about your dog’s shaking or about any other worrying behaviour.
Keep training,
Carol