How Often Does Your Dog Shake?

[j]

How often does your dog shake? Not just a little head shake, a whole, starting at the head and going all the way down their body to their tail, as if they are shaking water off themselves shake?

I've noticed that my dog seems to be having a whole body shake pretty much every time he stands up. He also LOVES rolling on his back on the carpet. For minutes at a time with deep satisfying groans as he does it. The back thing isn't new, but the body shaking is certainly on the increase. I've put flea treatment on him recently, wondering if he was itchy, but it hasn't made any difference. His ears don't smell, so I don't think it is anything to do with his ears. He has been licking his feet a bit and they are that red sort of colour they get sometimes when they have an allergy or something.

I'm going to make an appointment at the vet for him tomorrow anyway, but I was just wondering if anyone has a dog that does this and if there was anything in particular I should be considering, other than "it feels nice"

[kelpiecuddles]

My basset does it if I put a collar on her, she prefers to go naked :laugh:

Changed anything like that recently?

[Little Gifts]

Tempeh shakes all the time, multiple times a day. It can be as soon a she gets up or after she's come in from doing a pee or after she's gotten off my bed or after she's been doing a zoomie with the other dogs. She has a rat type tail so you don't want to be too close to it as the shake whips through or you will end up with a red mark and later a bruise. Isn't it a stress reliever? I figured that's why she was doing it, to shake off her stresses (she's a stress head).

[korbin13]

My SBT does the whole rolling around on the back thing, all the time growling and snapping like a looney :laugh:

I did read that shaking is a calming behaviour. But I did also read that the shaking after lying down is a behaviour retained from wild canines, they did it to shake off any parasites.

My dogs shake a lot but then they always have, so if it is an increased behaviour there may be more of a reason behind it. Good luck at the vet.

[MadWoofter]

When I am home during the day Fleming spends hours out in the garden under various shrubs & bushes. I'd say 99% of the time when he comes out to say hello he gives a big stretch and then shakes like you've described. I like korbin's theory of shaking off parasites :)

As the behaviour is relatively new though I'd take him for a checkup for skin irritation. Have you put anything new in the garden in terms of mulch? Or new plants that could be causing a reaction?

[BarbedWire]

When my dog shakes it is often the precursor to a seizure. I am glad the OP is taking his/her dog to the vet and I hope it all goes well.

[sandgrubber]

Mine do a full body shake only when they've been swimming, and even then they do a half arsed job.

[Scottsmum]

My SBT does the whole rolling around on the back thing, all the time growling and snapping like a looney :laugh:

I did read that shaking is a calming behaviour. But I did also read that the shaking after lying down is a behaviour retained from wild canines, they did it to shake off any parasites.

My dogs shake a lot but then they always have, so if it is an increased behaviour there may be more of a reason behind it. Good luck at the vet.

I was recently told it was a de-stresser / signal that all is OK.

Can't comment on Scotties shaking - it's not above average. Our office dog does it a lot - I notice because he's a dachshund and so quite cute/funny to watch.

Edited to add: I also agree with sarsaparilla - I knew a beagle who would do a few huge head shakes immediately before a seizure.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Scottsmum

[Ivory & Beau]

Ivy shakes to fix her hair. She'll shake a few times a day.

[Staffyluv]

The only time Zig shakes his whole body is when he gets out of the shower.

He doesn't even shake when he gets out from swimming - he prefers to drip dry :laugh: