First, an interesting bit about yawing from Psychology Today:
'Despite what you may have heard, yawning has nothing to do with increasing the body's oxygen supply. In experiments, subjects yawn just as much in oxygen-rich air as they do in an oxygen-poor atmosphere. Yawning is, however, a response to boredom. When researchers showed students ages 17-19 music videos and color bar test patterns, those who saw the test patterns yawned nearly twice as often as those who watched videos, and their yawns lasted longer.
But boredom isn't the only yawn factor. If someone you're conversing with yawns, chances are, you will too. "Yawning is extraordinarily contagious," says Robert Provine, a pioneer of yawning research. "Seeing a person yawn triggers yawns. Reading about yawning causes yawns. Sitting in a room thinking about yawning triggers yawning," he says. Some experts think this happens because yawning evolved as a means of communication. It may help animals, including humans, coordinate their behavioral responses to changing conditions in the environment. "
lol... Did you yawn?
So how can you figure out if your dog is calming yawning or just yawning because they're bored?
Look at the whole picture. It may be a reaction to being hugged, petting or being restrained in some manner, like being held at a heel in a busy environment. All these things can be uncomfortable for some dogs.
If your dog is obviously not bored and has been playing and jumping around, or was in full zoomie mode...did you put a damper on things and say,"settle down" or "no" when he jumped on you? Your reaction to his fun may have made him uncomfortable.
Your yawns can also help your dog calm down during stressful situations, but be cautious, you may trigger a whole office full of yawns at the veterinarian's office.
For other calming signals covered at Wolfer Magic see the Calming Signals Article
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