Excessive yawning?

[Ecw21]

hello all...Sometimes, my Brit yawns loudly and frequently. Not all the time, but at times of excitement or frustration. I read somewhere that yawning can denote a dog trying to calm itself down? I have noticed that sometimes she yawns when I have given her some stern commands (when she ignores my first request to 'heel', as an example). She is very strong-willed but also quite obediant...I think she is maybe frustrated that she can't do what she wants to!

Any thoughts? When I am getting ready to take her out, she sounds like a coyote when she yawns...it is pretty funny stuff and when I laugh at her, she gets a big kick out of it. Should I be concerned about this yawning?

Cheers everyone!

[Sharon]

They yawn to relieve stress.
If she's yawning BEFORE you take her out I might be a little concerned that you were being too tough on her.
If she does it regularly while training I would also be concerned.

If it happens occasionally it's not a big deal.

How old is your dog? Are you using the e-collar correctly?

[Ecw21]

Thanks Sharon...First thing in the morning, she playbows, wags her tail, and yawns/yelps...That one doesn't have me thinking too much.

Hmmm...She doesn't really do it during training too much. Usually, very early when I bring her back in after she runs free to burn some steam, she will yawn and then kind of 'settle in' and not do it anymore...Does that make sense?

She is just over 2 years and 8 months old. I got her just before her 2nd bday. Not sure about how heavy handed her previous owner was. She gets excited when I bring the e-collar out and knows that she will be getting to run off leash...She always wears the e-collar while we are training...however, I would say that I very rarely use it. And only the lightest setting to enforce commands that she already knows. She listens very well so I rarely have need of it, to be honest. Her only real 'fault' (if it could even be called that) is to get carried away in the moment and forget that I am there too. Strong independent streak outside (Field Trial focused breeding, I believe), but a good listener when her mind in on the task at hand.

Does that help? Sorry for being so long-winded. I welcome your opinion.

[Sharon]

Based on what you have now said, it doesn't sound like a problem to me.

[dawgmama]

Horses yawn a lot as they are coming down off of adrenaline so if she gets fizzed about a run, that is just her way of coming down afterward. If she is begging to have the collar on, it doesn't sound as if you are being to hard on her. Some dogs are just more vocal. You probably laughed when she yodeled as she yawned and she probably figures she's cute. Of my 4 dogs, one Setter is really vocal. When she wants to play, she does this long drawn out yodel, that ends with her sounding like a beagle. Too funny.

Dogs are so different. My 2 Setters try to dive into the e-collar and my 2 Wirehairs say "um... I promise, I'll be good, I don't need that." The Setters get 'up' more on adrenaline as they run, and need a higher correction than the Wires. You'd think the German dogs would be tougher than the silky little Setters, but....that's why I love dogs, so unique.

[Ecw21]

That all makes very good sense...I'm so grateful to the people on this panel. Can't imagine how I would come by this information without it.

A beagle sound...that is funny. I call her a little 'yote' sometimes. She rarely ever barks...just heavy play growling with other dogs and then the yodeling (great way to put it).

They are funny, aren't they?

[MTO4Life]

My britt is the same way. When we hop in the car to drive to some public land for a run... the yodelling yawns are long, drawn out and LOUD!! She's excited and ready to go!! Those yawns still make me laugh! Otherwise, she will yawn when I give her a command, like telling her to stay and such. I was told that this is the dog admitting they get the command and they are submitting to it.

[Ayres]

Is it really a play bow? Sounds to me like she's stretching out her front legs. My dog does the same thing, but yawns first, then stretches the front, and then stretches the back. It's like clockwork.

[ezzy333]

Is it really a play bow? Sounds to me like she's stretching out her front legs. My dog does the same thing, but yawns first, then stretches the front, and then stretches the back. It's like clockwork.

That's what I have seen also. Just didn't know there was excessive yawning. But my pup does squeek or squeel with his mouth open when I am getting his feed ready. Really gets excited.

Ezzy

[briarpatch]

I am doing some excessive yawning after reading this thread



seriously though I have never heard of excessive yawning as a problem....

[Ecw21]

I'm sorry if this thread was boring...I didn't look at it that way. I didn't know if it was a problem; I'm not necessarily as experienced as many on the panel and I wanted to hear opinions.

I appreciate the help from everyone.

Eric

[Sharon]

If you are going to last here you can't let people offend you. There will always be someone. Briarpatch was just being funny. Yours was a good post.

When I started trialing I thought that when the judge said, "Pick up your dog!" that I had to carry him all the way back to the car. We all started with dogs somewhere.

[Ecw21]

Thanks Sharon. Not offended....I was legitimately looking back to see what the heck I had said!

Don't worry, I learn way too much from everyone here to worry about that. And I think your trialing story would probably happen to me too! I can only imagine how many more dumb things I will do and strange queries I will have...and I'm not just talking about dogs!

Thanks again!

[dawgmama]

Ecw21, I think briarpatch was referring to how when someone else yawns, it makes you yawn too. It is kinda hard to make a joke work sometimes in our posts. Have fun with your Britt, she sounds sweet.

[briarpatch]

Eric,
I am sorry and apologize, you had a very legitimate question, that was just my poor attempt at humor..I didnt mean for you to take it seriously.. by all means ask any and all questions, this is one of the best boards I know of, for newer people to find answers to their questions..and all questions are good ones if you are curious about a subject or want more information..thats what this board is for...There is no such thing as a silly question, or a boring question..although you may get a silly answer from time to time in jest..You should also find the serious answer to any question asked in any thread by more than a couple members and many different opinions on many different subjects which is also great to see and learn from..
I have found many an answer here myself to many of my own questions. I certainly don't want to discourage a newer member from posting questions. That is what makes this board fun learning more and more about our favorite sport dogs and the only way to learn more is by asking questions...


of course I and perhaps a few others on here do say a few things off the wall or make a poor attempt at jest now and again...just to keep things interesting..
no offense meant,

Dennis AKA Briarpatch

[Ecw21]

Dennis...No worries at all! Now that I understand the joke, I think it is pretty good! I will wait until I'm a little more seasoned before I exercise my notoriously questionable humor! I appreciate the apology but it was not necessary at all. Trust me, I'm not discouraged and will continue to ask a ton of questions as they arise.

I echo everything you said and agree whole-heartedly. I'm not kidding when I say that this is maybe the single best forum site...Not just bird dogs, but of ANY sporting website, that I have seen. I access it all the time...at home, traveling for work, anytime I can. If they made a similar site for smallmouth fishing, I would never get off the computer...

Thanks again for clearing everything up Dennis...see you down the road.

Eric