Why Do Whippets Yawn?

Unlike humans who only yawn when they are tired or bored, dogs may have completely different ways of expressing their feelings. When whippets yawn, it could also be an indication that they are stressed or anxious.

Sure, this can be seasonal as feeling anxious is inevitable at the end of the day; however, if it’s impossible to stop, you may have a problem there.

Whether it is used as a way of communication or to replenish the oxygen supply in the brain, here’s a complete guide that answers all of your swarming questions in mind and breaks the question, why do whippets yawn?

So, let’s dive right in!

Table of Contents

Reasons Why Whippets Yawn

If you own a dog, I’m sure you must have noticed the bad boy yawning during training or perhaps when you are scolding him!

Yawning in dogs looks exactly like it does with humans. Jaw stretched open, followed by a deep breath that usually gets associated with fatigue. However, when it comes to dogs, there is a lot more to it.

Here are some of the messages your dog might be trying to convey.

Stress

Your little paw buddy must be the life of the house. It can be difficult to find out signs of discomfort and stress in your dogs with their joyful energy.

Therefore, many trainers suggest considering any abnormal behaviour your dog may be showing, and one of them includes excessive yawning.

Think about it: have you ever noticed your dog yawning when you casually have quality time with your dog at the park, and your neighbour suddenly stops to make a conversion. This is because your dog does like the person or is simply anxious to meet new people.

It is also true during training when you yawn to indicate they’ve had enough and you’re probably putting too much stress on their body.

They Are Tired

Although more research needed to be done on this point, most scientists believe that just like humans, dogs yawn before and after they wake up to indicate fatigue.

However, there are also arguments that it is nonverbal communication or can be a way to cool down blood circulating to the brain. Just like us, dogs often yawn right before bed and just after they wake up.

Contagious

Have you ever seen someone yawn and get an uncontrollable urge to yawn with them as well? This is called contagious or reflexive yawning. And it is possible in dogs too.

Therefore, they could be yawning because some other dog yawns, or perhaps you were yawning in front of them.

According to studies done in Portuguese and Japanese in 2012 and 2013, dogs are likely to have contagious yawns from familiar people than from strangers. These researches still lack adequate further research to prove these points.

Another study done by the New York Times stated that most of the times, when you find your dogs yawning, it is usually a sign of bonding between canine and people. Thus, recall if you have yawned right before looking at your dog.

Indifference

When dogs are faced with aggressive other dogs, they usually yawn to indicate their lack of interest and how fighting isn’t necessary.

However, a common misconception is that yawning is a sign of submission. Let me tell you that this is far from the truth.

When confronted with the fearful pack, most dominant dogs and wolves yawns to indicate their lack of interest in fighting. This effect can also sometimes make dogs anxious and yawn excessively.

Are Your Whippets Yawning Habbits A Concern?

Your little bud may look quite cute while yawning; however, it can become a concern if they yawn more than usual. In this situation, it can be an indication of underlying diseases called multiple sclerosis.

This is an autoimmune disease where your body’s immune system attacks its own tissues to cause communication problems between your brain and the rest of the body.

However, considering the lack of research on yawning in dogs, the evidence is still not backed up by science. Certainly, yawning is the symptom of frequent stress, which will inevitably lead to something bigger in the future.

Start observing their other behavioural changes that may be the result of stress or anxiety. This way, you will be able to spot the thing they witnessed right before yawning.

In fact, many animal behaviourists claim that excessive licking and yawning of dogs are signals for owners that their dogs are losing patience or feeling anxious.

Of course, casual yawning could also be a case here. The key to finding out whether it is something serious is to note their behaviour towards the recent changes in their life.

It could be a new person shifted in your home, a changed diet, intense training, or tragedy. Then pay close attention to whether they frequently yawn at the same thing.

When To See A Vet

As you already know by now, yawning doesn’t necessarily mean fatigue or being bored. There could be something more significant or painful that your dog is trying to convey. Most dogs use yawning as a way to calm their anxiousness.

In fact, these whippet yawns are more intense than sleepy yawns. It can get to a point where your dog may even drool or lick excessively when they are nervous.

You can also remind yourself of the past medical history of your dog that can help explain their abnormal behaviour.

Look for such signs when kids are fighting when someone scolds them. For a mild case, counting on exercises, a weekend getaway, or perhaps better clothing can be excellent for a change in mind.

But if you still see his health deteriorating, it’s never a bad idea to consult a vet or medication.

More About Whippet Yawning

Bear in mind not all yawns can lead to serious consequences. Sure, it could still be an indication of anxiousness, but just like humans, it can help them to a great extent as well.

If you notice your dog yawning in the middle of a training session, you should understand that your dog is losing his patience, and you should stop immediately.

Another thing that can aggravate this behaviour is fighting. Simply trying to avoid arguments and fights in front of your dogs as this can play a significant role in reducing their stress levels and offer a more friendly atmosphere.

Other than that, if whippets yawn while stretching out, this is sure because they’re tired and need rest. Hence, depending on the factors leading to yawning excessively can show how serious their condition really is.

Other Considerations

Since your dogs can’t verbally connect with you, you need to look for any possible ways to understand their signs and be aware of their trigger points.

It is not very common to see dogs getting annoyed while you dress in tight clothes. Or perhaps when Mrs. Wilderson comes in every day to run your quality with your pet. These can be instances where you will get to notice them yawning abnormally.

If you sense your dog doing that more frequently than usual, it may be the time you keep them away from those stressful situations and help them calm down.

If you notice them yawning while they are at training classes, ask the instructor to take a few minutes off where you can take your dog out for a walk and take some pressure off his shoulders.

However, these are the signs of occasional yawning as being tired or burnt out is normal, even for dogs. If this escalates to excessive yawning, it is a sign of severe or chronic anxiety.

You can begin tackling this problem with these minor praises. However, if nothing is cutting, work with a canine behaviourist or vet who can point out some of the issues that your dog may have.

However, keep in mind to observe all of their behaviour before the visit to help your vet understand the situation and make sense of why your dog may be reacting in this way.

In a nutshell, notice when, where and how often your whippet is yawning to gather all of the answers.

Final Thoughts

So why do whippets yawn?

Well, there are lots of reasons. But most commonly it’s due to being tired or stressed and nothing serious to worry about.

All in all, after reading this, I’m sure you must have understood that there is a lot more to your dog that you don’t know yet.

Many dog owners take excessive yawning causally only to make it a serious problem in the long run. Remember to be aware of your little whippet’s abnormal behaviour and the usual one to find out the difference and pinpoint any reasons why your dog may be doing that.

Considering how all animals are different, you can’t count on generic information to heal your dog. If none of the techniques mentioned above works and you can’t make sense of the context, it’s best to consult a vet for a personalised solution and medication that will ease any trouble your dog may be going through.