After a NapBenson notes that dogs sometimes shake-off when they stand up after a nap, often accompanied by a full-body stretch. “This is likely similar to what you do when you get up off your office chair: a quick stretch to get the muscles moving again.”Related:
Froma fully body reboot to releasing stressful energy, here are specific situationsin which dogs shake-off and why they do it.When dogs “shake-off” after a bath, the reason is clear — it’s your dogs’personal drying system. It’s also incredibly efficient. In fact, a
Dogs may shake their head and body as soon as they wake up in order to loosen up. They’ve been in the same stationary position for an extended period of time so it’s only natural that they do some body shaking to stretch the muscles out. The stretching and shaking could be viewed as an instinctive behavior to get their bodies warmed up.
If your dog is shaking his head throughout the whole day and not just when he wakes up then there could be a likelihood of an ear infection. The itchiness and discomfort that’s ringing in his ear would cause the dog to his head often. This could be more apparent when the dog wakes up.
A dog’s morning routine is a lot like ours. They may start off with a large yawn, a long stretch, and a bit of shaking from their whole body. You might be wondering why some dogs like to shake their head when they wake up. Here are some of the most common reasons why.
How do dogs know when to wake up?
Dogs, like most mammals, have a circadian rhythm, an internal sense that tells them when to sleep or when to be active. Perhaps it’s their bodies, though not their minds, that can detect roughly what time it is.
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Dogs shake off for a variety of reasons. Some do it when they wake up. All do it when they get wet. The “shake off” to watch out for, though, is the one that signals stress, anxiety or arousal. It means they are uncomfortable with what just happened. I translate this body language in my Dog Decoder smartphone app, using illustrations by Lili Chin of Doggie Drawings.
In the below, you see Diamond (star of the app) shaking off outside the veterinary clinic. Even though it may have been a routine exam, many dogs find going to the vet, stressful. Other shake-off triggers include interacting with other dogs, greeting new children and adults, being in busy places, riding in the car or taking part in training. Once you start watching out for shake offs, you may realize that your dog shakes off a lot. Knowing this, you’ll be able to reassure them by taking it more slowly in such situations. Let’s take a look at other shake-off scenarios.