Dog yawning can arouse a lot of curiosity in those who have a pet and catch the animal in the act. But believe me: yawning dogs are not always a sign of sleep, and can have several other meanings. It is a form of communication in the canine universe and, although it is often related to tiredness and energy recharge, it can also reveal a bored or anxious dog.

In any case, it's important to understand how your dog's resting moments work and how many hours a dog sleeps per day to know how to identify when it's sleep or something else. To help you identify these situations, we've prepared a special article on the subject. Check it out!

Very sleepy dog may yawn several times

A very predictable and obvious reason behind a yawning dog is sleepiness! In this case, yawns can be repeated over and over again as long as the animal does not stop to rest. But it is important to pay special attention, because the dog with excessive sleepiness is sometimes indicative of some problem, such as canine depression. Usually, the condition is accompanied by apathy and other changesbehavioral.

Oh, but don't worry if they're old or still very early in life, okay?! It's normal for a puppy to sleep a lot and consequently yawn a lot too - and the same goes for an elderly dog. To give you an idea, adult animals sleep 12-14 hours a day, while puppies and seniors sleep between 16 and 18 hours.

It's also common for yawns to happen naturally after an afternoon of rest, so if you see your dog stretching a lot after a nap and yawning soon after, it's because they're simply getting ready to face the rest of the day.

Yawning is also common in a bored or anxious dog

Canine language is extremely rich, and even if they cannot speak dogs are able to communicate in the most different ways. In the case of the yawning dog this is very clear: even if it is commonly associated with tiredness, yawns sometimes indicate that the dog is bored or anxious about something. This happens when the animal does not receive physical and mental stimuliStressful situations - such as the arrival of an unexpected visitor or a veterinary appointment - can also have the same effect on the animal, and in these cases yawning is a way to relieve tension.

The puppy sleeps a lot and may yawn several times throughout the day

Dog yawning is a sign of complicity and love for guardians

If you've ever yawned and noticed your dog yawning right afterwards, you know what we're talking about. Just like with us, puppies also end up "imitating" the gesture instinctively. The difference is that they only repeat the movement with the one they really love! Yes, it's true: a yawning dog can be a sign of love and complicity.

At least that's what research by the University of Tokyo has shown: the study of 25 dogs showed that around 72% of the animals yawned more often in front of their owners than in the presence of strangers, especially after noticing the yawn in their guardians.

Yawning is also a way to restore your dog's energy

You may have noticed that a dog yawning a lot doesn't always mean he's sleepy or tired. What few people know is that this is also a way for the animal to regain energy and increase attention. An example is during dog training, which is something that requires a certain amount of concentration: if the dog yawns at this time it is probably not an indication of tiredness, but rather that he is sleepy.relieving tension to focus on what is being taught.

It is also common for yawns to occur while the puppy is playing and having fun. In this case, it is common to see the dog stretching and then yawning as a way to recharge the energy and the mood to continue playing.