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Originally Posted by KendraE  I don't know if I completely agree with this. Bevo has the tip of his tongue out everyday at some point... Usually when napping or sleeping at night... But, he will also partially stick it out if hes just sitting or watchin tv...he will be 4 in October and has had this habit ever since we brought him home at 12 weeks. I would hate to think he has been "uncomfortable" his entire life... I would imagine there may be another explanation... Or at least I would hope so!! |
A lot of it is context. Dogs don't have the wealth of expressions that we do, so most signals can have multiple meanings. A good example of this is the paw lift. Usually when a dog lifts his paw, it's a "calming signal" or what I'm calling an appeasement signal. However, the paw lift can ALSO mean the exact opposite: the dog is extremely interested in something, and perhaps planning to pounce.
So yes, it's hard to say. If the jaw is relaxed, or the dog is hot, or the dog is missing teeth, these are all reasons the tongue could be out. At the same time, if a dog is panting and it's NOT hot, it's a sign of stress. It can get complicated!
If your dog is sleeping with his tongue out, I would assume that his mouth is relaxed and the tongue is naturally protruding. However, many times people aren't familiar with dog signals, and little dogs especially tend to feel more fearful. I just wanted people to be aware that it CAN be a signal, particularly if it happens when you are approaching your dog, or taking a picture of him.
06-13-2012, 03:11 PM
