We’ve all seen our dogs shake off (and possibly coat us, too) after they’ve been in the rain, running through a sprinkler, or rolling around in a puddle.
But sometimes, dogs will shake off even when they’re not wet, which can be confusing for us as dog parents – what are they doing it for, exactly, when they’ve got all the best dog toys and treats to stay busy with?
Fortunately, certified dog trainer Melissa Goodman of Mission Pawsitive has explained all we need to know in a recent Instagram post, with help from her dog, Abby. It’s really eye-opening for those of us who’d love to better understand our pups. So, let’s take a look!
“Dogs will shake off to relieve stress and reset themselves,” Goodman begins in the video. “Abby turns around because she heard a noisy metal cart that she thought was a little concerning. I gave her a treat when she saw it to reward her lack of reaction and to create a positive association.”
Abby then shakes off, before moving on – Goodman explains that this is exactly what she wants her to do – here’s the science behind positive reinforcement for dogs to find out how she's learning to do it.
Later on in the video, Abby shakes off again, but this time it’s because she’s finding the pet store they’re visiting overwhelming due to the exciting smells and the sight of other dogs – she’s not unhappy, but all the excitement of a pet store can get too much for dogs sometimes.
“It’s not necessarily good or bad,” Goodman sums up, “Just good information for us to get an idea of how they are feeling. I like when dogs shake off because they are trying to self-regulate. Dogs will also use shake-offs as communication – dogs do it a lot during play.”
She explains that Abby’s shake-offs in the video were around two minutes ago, and we can look at the rest of her body language to work out why she was shaking off. In the first clip, she was shaking off because she was unsure, and in the second she was overwhelmed but in a happy way.
And remember, it’s always worth rewarding shake-offs! By rewarding your pup for shaking off, you’re showing them that it’s good to self-regulate stress and similar feelings, and they’ll be more likely to do it again in future.
We know that’s normal for dogs to shake off, but what about when dogs shake their toys? Is it normal behavior? You can find out all you need to know here.
