Why Do Dogs Sigh? Deciphering Your Canine’s Sounds

We’ve all been there. You’re hanging out with your pup, and all of a sudden, she lets out a long, deep sigh. Is your pup feeling content, or is something bothering her? It can be hard at times to know what’s going on with our furry friends.

We know that our pups use different types of vocalizations to communicate their feelings, but what does it mean when a dog sighs? We’ll shed light on the reasons your pup sighs and when it’s a possible sign that something might be wrong.

What Is Sighing?

Understanding why we sigh involves more than you may think. A sigh is a long, deep audible breath that humans and many animals do regularly. We usually associate sighs in people as an expression of several different emotions or moods. But sighing is also an unconscious reflex that serves a crucial role in maintaining healthy lung function. Sighs inflate the lung’s alveoli, tiny balloon-like sacs that move oxygen to the bloodstream and remove carbon dioxide. 

In humans, spontaneous sighs occur about every five minutes. But scientists also know that in people, the frequency of sighing increases under stress, certain psychiatric conditions, such as depression or anxiety disorders, and hypoxia (low levels of oxygen in the body’s tissues).

Why Does My Dog Sigh?

People’s sighs can express a variety of emotions or moods like relief, sadness, frustration, anxiety, or exhaustion. Are our canine companions the same? Fortunately, people have the advantage of language to explain what they feel when they sigh. But how can we decipher our dogs’ sighs? Here are some reasons dogs sigh and ways to tell how your pup may be feeling by reading her body language and what’s going on at the time.

Feeling Relaxed And Content

Dog sighs can convey a sense of contentment and pleasure. These happy sighs often occur when your pup is lying down to relax with her head on her paws. Another positive sign is when your dog’s eyes are half-closed when she sighs.

Feeling Disappointed Or Frustrated

In contrast, if your furry friend sighs when her eyes are fully open, and she has her head on her front paws, this could mean that she’s disappointed or frustrated. For example, she may not be pleased that playtime is over, or she wasn’t ready to come inside from yard time yet. If your pup is sitting upright and fully alert when she sighs, she’s likely telling you she’s bored and wants attention.

Why Does My Dog Sigh When She Lays Down?

Dogs often let out a long, drawn-out sigh when they’re tired and need to lie down to get some rest. This can occur after a long walk, a strenuous game of fetch, or other exercises. In most cases, this is just a sign that your dog is instinctively getting more air into her lungs and winding down for some much-needed rest time.

Why Does My Dog Sigh So Much?

Is it normal for a dog to sigh a lot? In most cases, frequent sighing is normal. But if you think your pup is sighing way too often and the sighing is accompanied by troublesome body language or other symptoms, it could indicate that your dog is suffering from an ailment. This excessive sighing could be due to joint pain or other causes of discomfort.

Abnormally frequent sighing could also result from breathing or heart problems. If you suspect that your pup’s sighing could be associated with any kind of health issue, consult your veterinarian as soon as possible.

The Adorable Sigh Of Contentment (Video)

This cute Beagle’s happy sigh might remind you of your furry friend when she’s getting some shut-eye.

What Do Other Dog Vocalizations Mean?

Our canine companions communicate in so many different ways. Sometimes we don’t know if their vocalizations are normal and acceptable or if we should be concerned about a behavioral or health issue. Learn more about what your pup is trying to tell you in our companion articles about dog barking, growling, howling, and whining. We also give you tips on how to stop problem barking and growling.

Tagged With: Trivia