Why do dogs shake so often?

Why do dogs shake so often?

Why do dogs shake themselves, even if they are not wet? This can have the most diverse reasons. Most of the time, it is a natural behavior in response to a stimulus from the environment, but sometimes your four-legged friend needs your help.

If your dog comes out of the water and shakes himself vigorously, you will also get a shower directly in the process. But it’s no use; your darling can’t walk through the world dripping wet. But if you oversee him, you will notice that water is not the only reason for shaking. Why actually? What makes the fur noses shake in the most different situations?

Shaking is the natural dryer.

The master and mistress can be pregnant with the towel ready: Shaking is still done after playing in the water. Of course, because the instincts of your furry companion are reported on survival and in free nature, there is just no personal towel service. During this hearty shaking orgy, your four-legged friend gets rid of about 70 percent of the water that his fur has soaked up. But why is it so important for dogs to be dry?

Especially for long-haired breeds, the moisture they’ve absorbed adds an enormous amount of weight. If the dog were forced to run or fight, the extra weight would make him slower and more immobile. This restriction could cost him his life.

The coat would take hours to dry if the animal did not shake itself. Especially in winter, wet fur is generally critical because the moisture causes the dog to cool down quickly. He then risks catching a cold or worse. A short, effective shake-off, on the other hand, takes only a few seconds, and the cold snout is ready for use again.

Shake your fur: When it itches and tickles

You know it yourself: That tickle or itch in a spot you can’t quite reach can drive you almost crazy. In this respect, four-legged friends are no different than humans. Unlike their owners, however, animals can’t afford a back scratcher, and so they sometimes throw themselves quite wildly from side to side, rolling across the floor and rubbing against trees or furniture edges to get rid of the itch.

If you feel that your dog is shaking because of this, you can give him relief with a loving scratch on the itchy area. However, if your pet suffers from itching permanently, you should consult a veterinarian.

Dog shakes: Does he have ear problems?

Mainly breeds with long ears that hang low to the ground are more likely to struggle with ear infections or parasites in the ear.

So if your floppy-eared dog shakes his head frequently, he probably doesn’t mean to express his displeasure with your current behavior but most likely has an uncomfortable feeling in his ear. This does not always have to be a nasty infection but can also be a small foreign body that can be quickly removed, such as a stray bug or a piece of grass. If you are unsure, you should still visit the vet.

Dogs shake themselves to calm down.

Dog life is full of exciting moments: a scuffle among conspecifics, mistress comes home, master throws the greatest of all tennis balls, or once again, you have successfully kept the evil letter carrier away. So much excitement would be unbearable as a permanent condition. Therefore dogs shake off this high-grade excitement – in the truest sense of the word.

While shaking can also be triggered by negative stress, it is by no means always the case. A shake is more like a deep breath after an intense situation. So if your dog shakes after a lively play session, feel free to rejoice that your four-legged friend is handling his tension well.

Exercise helps against cold.

When the environment is cold, exercise helps because the muscles generate heat. That’s why people and animals shiver in the cold. But before the chattering teeth set in, we usually rub our upper arms, shivering. The animal counterpart to this is the brief shivering of your four-legged friend.

Shaking brings on attention.

Maybe your pet is cold, has an itchy ear, or is stressed. Or perhaps you just have a little diva at home. When things suddenly move (differently), it gets attention – from dogs and people alike. So it may well be that your sofa wolf thinks that he is entitled to more attention than he is currently getting. And maybe shaking can help.