Why Do Dogs Shake? Dog Behavior Training in Northern Virginia
Dogs have a variety of different odd behaviors that you may wonder exactly why they do it. One of those behaviors includes shaking. Dogs shake for a variety of different reasons. Sometimes these behaviors can be explained, for instance maybe a dog just dog done swimming and it is cold. Sometimes there seems to be no outward reason for this shaking, leading you to wonder if there is something that is emotionally wrong with your dog. This will be looked at today so you can know how to help your dog in the best way possible.
Dogs have a reflex that causes them to shake things off. When they are wet, they try to shake off the water that is all over them. When two dogs play together and one gets a little rough, the other shakes it off. However, there are sometimes when there seems to be no real reason for this specific behavior. Dogs have difficulty processing certain things in a way that a human can understand. They decompress through this shake-it-off-reflex that can be hard for humans to understand. There is definitely an underlying emotional aspect of this shaking that some may not have really considered. If you ever see your dog stop playing suddenly to shake, they are really just decompressing during the interaction the with other dog to make themselves feel better after trying handle with social pressures. This is the same reasons that dogs seem to shake it off after you show some physical affection to your pets. It may seem like they are rejecting your love but they really just do not really know how to deal with it. They can handle things like belly rubs and treats to show affection but the ways that humans show affection with each other just confuses dogs.
This shaking is very similar to social behaviors experience when they are dealing with social rejection. Dogs, very much like humans, are very social creatures. Things like social rejection is something that people are terrified of and it turns out that dogs are afraid of being rejected as well. Rather than trying to give your dogs a dug or kiss, give them some calming physical stimulation to show love. Any other manner can make your dog that you love them and respect their comfort.
Dogs have a lot of the same emotions as humans do. They can feel social rejection and they can feel love. They can become overwhelmed by the situations around them. Dogs can feel all of this but it is easy to not think of that because they do not have the words to say what is wrong. When you see your dog shaking and there is no reason for this, you should do your best to calm and reassure your dog. You may not understand exactly why your furry friend is shaking but there is a very strong biological reason for that. If you have any concerns about your dog’s shaking, you should consult with your vet or an animal behaviorist such as Off Leash K9 Training to help your dog.
-Nick White
Owner/Founder
Off Leash K9 Training
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