Does your cocker.......

[leisl]

Yawn?

I have notice recently during Muppets waking hours she is constantly yawning.  She does not have a particularly taxing day.  Sofa, bed, sofa bed, 3 miles on the bicycle, sofa, bed.

I swear she had sleeping sickness but I am pretty sure we have not been to Africa recently.

She yawns about once every 10 mins.  Lazy dog. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[lexi]

Holly yawns a lot, much more than Byron. (Maybe it's an orange thing!)
She's also an expert in sighing...
Sorry, I can't tell you if it's due to boredom or fatigue.

[Shelley]

Yes mine yawn

[Abby]

Clive has two very distinct yawns - one when he is generally tired, or just waking up, and the other which is frustration. This generally happens when he's not getting his own way 

Used to happen all the time when we were lead training him 

[Max X 2]

Yes Max always yawns.  On our early morning walk he'll often yawn with a shake of his head too. 
Mind you he does sigh alot too 

[Annette]

Dog yawn for other reasons too.

I think it is Jean Donaldson who explains that they use yawning as an appeasement signal too. Buddy often yawns when we do any close, face to face petting. I think it's a sign that he is becoming a bit uncomfortable with the direct attention, so I usually look away, or back off.

I also read somewhere else that by doing a full, eyes closed yawn myself is a good way of relaxing him. I only did it once: I didn't really enjoy his tongue reaching the back of my throat!!!

[Cob-Web]

Yawning, lip-licking and other behaviours have been defined by Turid Rugaas (a Scandinavian dog trainer) as what she calls calming signals - there are loads of books and articles if you are interested, but this is one of my favourites: 

http://www.lonewolfkennels.com/calming.html

[Lee67]

Yep! Poppy is always yawning too! 

[GingerLeo]

Leo's got all different yawns, i like his 'will you hurry up and take me out' yawn. He almost swallows his head andthen lets out this high pitched noise to go with it.

Impatient little b***** 

[cazza]

Yawning, lip-licking and other behaviours have been defined by Turid Rugaas (a Scandinavian dog trainer) as what he calls calming signals - there are loads of books and articles if you are interested, but this is one of my favourites: 

http://www.lonewolfkennels.com/calming.html

I'm interested, I've just bought Jean Donaldson's book, can you recommend others?

[bernie]

Ruby usually yawns when she has done something naughty (like when I find her in the middle of  pulling a new roll of toilet paper to pieces.... again) and I tell her off or she is anticipating that she might be told off, I have always taken it to mean that she is feeling uneasy/feeling guilty or maybe she is just fed up having to stop in the middle of doing something fun.

[Cob-Web]

Turid Rugaas (who is not a "he" as I put in my last post, sorry  ) has written a book:

On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals - it is available from Amazon and has a good review but it's not one I have read myself 

Other links I have bookmarked include:

http://www.canis.no/rugaas/onearticle.php?artid=1
http://www.carolark.com/calming2.html (she has a cocker with her in the picture on this site  )
http://www.takingthelead.co.uk/2/Commun/calm.htm
http://www.canis.no/rugaas/gallery.php (this is a gallery of pictures, illustrating the different signals)

But not everyone agree's - there is some critisism of her book and principles too:

http://www.kateconnick.com/library/rugaascalming.html

[leisl]

Yeap, we do a lot of sighing too.  Looked at that calming thing and whilst it is interesting I am not sure I whole heartedly agree as Muppet is never in a frightening, confrontational situation when she is doing it so maybe back to the drawing board with that one..    I also agree with annette in so much as Muppet can be miles away when I stretch and yawn but it is normally interupted with a furry nose in my mouth!

[Cob-Web]

Yeap, we do a lot of sighing too.  Looked at that calming thing and whilst it is interesting I am not sure I whole heartedly agree as Muppet is never in a frightening, confrontational situation when she is doing it so maybe back to the drawing board with that one..    I also agree with annette in so much as Muppet can be miles away when I stretch and yawn but it is normally interupted with a furry nose in my mouth!

As a calming signal, yawning is said to be a response to stress rather than fear/confrontation - the examples used are when at an obedience class or in the vets waiting room - or even being hugged tightly 

[LoveCatz]

Both mine yawn - Pepsi rather noisily at times  She is also the Queen of large sighs and dirty looks