If your dog is sopping wet after a bath or a swim, itâs only natural that theyâd employ the time-tested shake to rid their fur of some of that water. But anyone whoâs spent any time with dogs may have noticed that they sometimes shake in a seemingly identical way when theyâre totally dry, too.
As This Dogâs Life explains , we donât know exactly why this happensâbut experts have observed the action enough to have formed pretty plausible theories. If your dog shakes after a nap, for example, it might just be their way of waking their body up after a period of immobility. âThis is likely similar to what you do when you get up off your office chair: a quick stretch to get the muscles moving again,â dog trainer Kristin Benson told This Dogâs Life. It could also be a method of dispelling excess energy while in a state of excitementâlike right before a walkâor during physical activity.
Not all shakes are great: It could also be a sign of stress. Say, for example, you see a couple canine pals punctuate a particularly rambunctious play session with a shake. âAlthough most of the time when dogs are playing rough, itâs fine for both parties, occasionally there seems to be an intensification that one or both dogs decide isnât playful anymore,â Benson explained. In this case, the shake may serve as a self-imposed timeout.
Sleep, stress, and excitement are all normal parts of a pupâs life, so shakes are typically nothing to worry about. If you notice your dog doing the shake much more than usual, however, it could be a sign that theyâre suffering from a rash or ear infection. In that case, a visit to the vet is your best bet.
[h/t This Dogâs Life ]
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