Dog Body Language: Head Shakes

Dogs rely heavily on body language to communicate what they want, what they do not want, what their intentions are, and even their mood. It is also true our ability to read their body language is rather poor, in part, due to the dizzying diversity in canine form and structure.

The kind of head shake I find most interesting signals an emotional transition. Like their people, dogs sometimes experience sudden frights or unexpected disturbances that can momentarily throw them off balance. Head shaking triggered by the unexpected provides valuable intel to the observant pet parent.

An everyday example is two dogs meeting for the first time during a walk with their owners. Adult dogs typically size each other up while downloading essential information before moving on. Sometimes, and only after the dogs have moved a short distance away, one or both dogs may shake their heads. It is an involuntary response to social anxiety felt in the presence of the other and serves to turn off the warning bells. The bad stuff is over.

The level of canine social anxiety can be guesstimated by head shake intensity. A quick head shake is similar to slightly sweaty palms while a head shake that travels the length of the dog’s body falls somewhere within the ‘OMG that was scary!’ neighborhood.

It is an easy tell that requires no action on your part until dog-to-dog or dog-to-people interactions become too stressful for your pet. The remedy is any confidence-building activity that leaves your dog feeling “yes, I can!” with you as head coach. Positive training, pet tricks, find the treat games, brain games are reliable confidence boosters.

Meanwhile, advocate for your dog by observing what does and does not bother her during encounters with dogs and people. Do train yourself to note gender specifics; it’s the little things that count. If she seems uncomfortable, move her away with a smile. Your dog will thank you.

Postscript

A few days ago I entered an elevator occupied by a woman with a young male dog about 45 pounds /16- to 18-months of age. Immediately the dog started to fidget. I moved to the far side of the elevator to give room to a pet that was uncomfortable sharing a confined space with a stranger. The woman spoke softly to calm the dog during their short trip. Seconds later the pair stepped off and just before the elevator door started to close, the dog’s head shake sent ripples through his body.

I do wonder how many of his head shakes were overlooked before the dog’s social anxiety became a problem. The uneasy youngster was wearing a muzzle.

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When Head Shakes Signal Health Problems: If your dog’s head shaking becomes unusually frequent or is paired with ear scratching, tilting the head to one side, whimpering, or imbalance, consult a veterinarian as soon as possible. Ear mites are the most common, though allergies, infections, inner ear disease, and earwax buildup can share symptoms.