# Mystery of the vocal yawns



## KBLover (Sep 9, 2008)

Wally was sleep and I moved my computer chair.

He got up, stretch and made one of his yawning noises at me (and it was at me - he does this a lot).

It's like he's trying to tell me something, like "hi there! I'm awake - what are we gonna do?"

Of course, sometimes he does it while playing or while waiting for me to get up. Sometimes it's a squeak, sometimes it sounds like raworarr or something.

Anyone else get this from their dogs? Any idea on what (if anything) it means?


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## AkiraleShiba (Dec 9, 2007)

Akira does that too, I think it's because he wants attention.


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## MrsJohnnyG (Jan 31, 2009)

I don't know if this is the same thing, but when my puppies yawn, they vocalize the whole way... the pitch goes way up to almost a squeak, then falls back down again in the cutest way. The best is when I ask them a question and they're answering "yes" while yawning... it's really loud and cute then! I figured it was a puppy thing... our 6-year-old "puppy" only does it every once in a while... normally her yawns are fairly silent.


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## HersheyBear (Dec 13, 2008)

My dog does that all the time! It's strange.


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## Mac'N'Roe (Feb 15, 2008)

Mac Mac does this all the time too!


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## Erick Aguilar (Jun 9, 2008)

My dog actually talks to me all and fights verbally with my mom all the time (i should record it eh?)

But his yawn is just too expressive, he howls and yawns at the same time...


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## deege39 (Dec 29, 2008)

Donatello does it too... All the time, every day... Sometimes he's quiet, but he usually does it when I first wake up, or when it looks like I'm getting up to get/do something. I _know_ it's his way of saying, "_Ahem, I'm awake/ready too you know... Don't forget me_." : P


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## Pai (Apr 23, 2008)

Icesis does it too! It sounds sometimes like a 'silent scream', if that makes sense.


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## KBLover (Sep 9, 2008)

Erick Aguilar said:


> My dog actually talks to me all and fights verbally with my mom all the time (i should record it eh?)


Oh yeah, that would be interesting to hear  I've never heard an argument with a dog before 

Then again, I never heard a dog moan before - and Wally does it all the time when barks aren't getting the job done (i.e. my attention).


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## Mdawn (Mar 3, 2007)

Even time Eddie yawns there is some vocal with it. Usually its a "Arrrrrooooooo". But its varies on how loud it is, I guess depending on how energized he is at the time and what time of day it is. Eddie is a very vocal dog.

Uallis doesn't do it as much...but he does a little bit.


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## KBLover (Sep 9, 2008)

Pai said:


> Icesis does it too! It sounds sometimes like a 'silent scream', if that makes sense.


Indeed it does - I hear something like that too sometimes.


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

Alvin says, "Wooooow." You wouldn't think it was possible for a creature without lips to form the word "wow," but he does. He says "wow" when he wants us to hurry...hurry up and feed him, hurry up and get the leash on, hurry up and come outside. It is mostly low pitched, but sometimes very high and sometimes very quiet, like a little black ghost.


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## Skeeski (Feb 4, 2007)

Luke is our 'talky' dog. He makes allll kinds of noises when he yawns. We also get to arguments, he seems to think he needs to get the last word in  haha


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## Erick Aguilar (Jun 9, 2008)

KBLover said:


> Oh yeah, that would be interesting to hear  I've never heard an argument with a dog before
> 
> Then again, I never heard a dog moan before - and Wally does it all the time when barks aren't getting the job done (i.e. my attention).


Lol, yeah, it's pretty funny...
My mom is like ''Noooo i won't give you my breakfast! and Apollo goes ''WOOORLLLGRLL!!'' then my mother goes ''Shhhh, don't talk to me with that tone!'' and again ''WUAARK! HURRRR OOOORRRBARK!'' and then we all start picking on on him because he still barks like a baby and he keep arguing and complaining


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## ladyshadowhollyjc (Oct 28, 2008)

J.C. has a "Yoshi Yawn". I love it. He yawns and makes a noise that sounds like Yoshi from Super Mario World. It just makes me giggle every time he does it.


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## marsha=whitie (Dec 29, 2008)

My Susie does it... but then again, she makes a bunch of strange noises anyways.  She groans and whines all the time when you're not paying attention to her. She also barks in her sleep... its wierd!


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## Echo's mom (Mar 3, 2009)

Echo does "the vocal yawn" too. It usually happens when she's whining about something- like not getting her way. Long, high-pitched voiced yawn. It's actually really cute.

She's very vocal in all ways though- she argues with us too. It's so funny... just as was described above. When she doesn't get her way she makes all kind of noises and grumbles. We call it her "back talk." She likes to get the last word in.

She's a three mo. old puppy by the way...


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Turid Rugaas and others have described some of the yawns as Calming Signals that really do relate an emotional state, usually some type of mild anxiety... But I've also experienced a variety of yawning situations. I like what one person called the sound: Pupsqueak.

1. When an unsocialized toddler comes up and hugs my dog before I can save him, he will yawn as during the embrace.

2. While I give him his afternoon massage after work (it's a dog's life, ain't it ?), he will stretch luxuriously and yawn quietly. Then, if I stop before he's satisfied, he will give me a toothy, full-face, wide open yawn with a loud pupsqueak. (The dog, not the toddler 

3. If I tease him or torture him by kissing him or sticking my face on his, then he will yawn at me. (Yes, I know everyone cuddles with their dog, and I imagine most people know that dogs don't like to be stared at, and don't like some types of hugs... but if I'm going to spoil him, then he has to tolerate me, sometimes. He doesn't have to like it.... He pesters me, too.)

4. If I make him do a stay, he will give me a noisy yawn (of complaint ?) as a warning a few minutes before he breaks. [Useful for training longer stays without exceeding his patience in that specific training session]

5. If I stop and talk to neighbors during HIS walk, he will bark, then he will yawn, then finally give up and lay down quietly.

Turid Rugaas reports that if you yawn noisily and repeated at a dog that is scared of thunder, then over multiple storms, the dog may begin to calm down.

Hope you aren't yawning, now...

- Hank Simon


BTW, Captain Haggerty was a well-respected dog trainer who wrote a book called, "How to Teach Your Dog to Talk." It is an older book with some entertaining tricks and good info.


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## nikelodeon79 (Feb 3, 2009)

KBLover said:


> Anyone else get this from their dogs? Any idea on what (if anything) it means?


Luna does the squeaky yawn. I figured out what it means, too! 98% of the time, it means: "Mom, I have to pee!"


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## Beki659 (Sep 6, 2008)

Charlee does that all the time! 
Too, she is very vocal. If she wants attention, she will start talking. Its absolutely hilarious. 

Well charlee, what do you think?
rowww wowww wowwwwww
roooooooww roooww roww
rrrrrrwowwww

Then I tell her, CHARLEE! Keep it down! You're going to wake the neighbors!
rwowww wowwww rwoowww


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## KBLover (Sep 9, 2008)

This is awesome, I'm so glad I started this thread 



Echo's mom said:


> Echo does "the vocal yawn" too. It usually happens when she's whining about something- like not getting her way. Long, high-pitched voiced yawn. It's actually really cute.
> 
> She's very vocal in all ways though- she argues with us too. It's so funny... just as was described above. When she doesn't get her way she makes all kind of noises and grumbles. We call it her "back talk." She likes to get the last word in.


I think this is close to why Wally does it. He usually isn't getting the attention he wants from me, or wants to "announce" that he's awake in the morning. 

Sometimes if I close the door on him and he wanted to come out, he'll do the yawn leading into a MMMMMmmmMMMM sorta sound and then it goes into a higher pitch at the end sometimes.

He'll grumble too - usually with the door thing and he tries to push it open with his nose, can't then he's like pah pah pah and will start moaning and low-pitched barking/gruffing.

He's never given me any back talk, though. Haven't had an argument with him 

Wally's nearly 2 years old now. He's been "vocal" for about 4 or 5 months, which seems pretty old to start being vocal, but now he won't shut up in some situations LOL


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## bnwalker2 (Jan 22, 2008)

Yep, I hear those all the time too, especially from Thunder. He rarely actually barks but moans and groans and "talks" constantly. I don't think I've ever seen him yawn and actually be silent while doing it.


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