Inka3095 Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Do you guys think that dogs sigh to express emotion like humans? Or do they simply sigh for physiological reasons? My dog was running around in the kitchen trying to get up to mischief so I called her into the computer room and told her to lie on her mat. She looked at me, looked balefully at the mat, looked back at me, heaved a huge sign, then walked very slowly to the mat and lay down whilst letting out another long sigh. It's easy to humanise what she was thinking, but do you think they actually do that kind of thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Yep :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel_ Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 I reckon they do too. My dog does it mostly when he's lying down. Once when I told him to wait for his food he let out a huge sigh, but he hasn't done it since! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixeduppup Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 My dogs do that usually when their energy levels are up and they're suddenly stopped, I think it's physiological Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DobieMum Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 My guys sleep on the floor of the bedroom and my boy sleeps up near my bedside table to get as close to me as possible. Last night my Hubby and myself were haveing adult cuddles and all I kept getting were sighs from the side of the bed. Hehehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 I really don't know, it's probably physiological but sometimes it does seem as though it's emotional! Mosley is the king of sighs, he sighs when sitting down, when settling down for the night, sometimes just for no reason at all :laugh: \ We were walking them the other night and always make them sit before crossing roads, told Mosley to sit but he'd seen a cat over the road and took forever , when he finally did he looked up at me and let out this half sigh/half Hurrumph noise as if to say "Fine! There! Happy now?" :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Forget the b***dy dog sighs! I want some "adult cuddles" :D :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sares Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 I have been told its a release of energy, it is when the dog resigns itself into a deeper state of relaxation. A dog can be playing and really excitable, and then is instructed to stop play. But their mind is still excited the the sigh is a release of that energy in order to calm down. Similar to the OP's situation, the dog was in an excitable state of mind, was told to go to their mat, and the sigh is to relax their state of mind and become less excited. I dont know if I explained that well. My dog trainer explained it a lot better to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Forget the b***dy dog sighs! I want some "adult cuddles" :D :D ... with Steve and her husband? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simply Grand Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 I swear both Quinn and Saxon have indignant but resigned sighs or humphs when they can't get their way. I've told the story (in the Manipulative Dogs thread) of how once he reaches the end of his trying to get treats from people act, if he hasn't been successful, he'll do a 'huffff' over his shoulder before he finally walks away. And Quinn often does it but mostly if she's shut out of my room she scratch on the door trying to open in then when she gives up and lies down you hear this loud 'hmmmmph'. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 (edited) Forget the b***dy dog sighs! I want some "adult cuddles" :D :D ... with Steve and her husband? Oooh, now that's a thought. Might just be put off by the doggy sighs though. :laugh: :laugh: Edited January 10, 2013 by Danny's Darling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty&biscuit Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 I have been told its a release of energy, it is when the dog resigns itself into a deeper state of relaxation. A dog can be playing and really excitable, and then is instructed to stop play. But their mind is still excited the the sigh is a release of that energy in order to calm down. Similar to the OP's situation, the dog was in an excitable state of mind, was told to go to their mat, and the sigh is to relax their state of mind and become less excited. I dont know if I explained that well. My dog trainer explained it a lot better to me. I think this was explained well Very interesting, this is usually when I notice Biscuit and Rusty sigh, otherwise it's when they relax into a deeper state...very cute either way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aetherglow Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Tarja does a definite half-sigh, half snort if she wants something and isn't getting it. I can certainly see it physiologically as a sign of relaxation as she resigns herself to the situation, but that doesn't make it any less amusing. She sounds so put out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disintegratus Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 My guys sleep on the floor of the bedroom and my boy sleeps up near my bedside table to get as close to me as possible. Last night my Hubby and myself were haveing adult cuddles and all I kept getting were sighs from the side of the bed. Hehehe I've had to kick the dogs out of the bedroom when it's "adult cuddles" time. Otherwise, without fail, one of us will cop a lick to the foot or similar, or if you happen to glance to the side of the bed, there's at least one dog, just standing there staring. It's very offputting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 My guys sleep on the floor of the bedroom and my boy sleeps up near my bedside table to get as close to me as possible. Last night my Hubby and myself were haveing adult cuddles and all I kept getting were sighs from the side of the bed. Hehehe I've had to kick the dogs out of the bedroom when it's "adult cuddles" time. Otherwise, without fail, one of us will cop a lick to the foot or similar, or if you happen to glance to the side of the bed, there's at least one dog, just standing there staring. It's very offputting. :laugh: :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poochmad Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 I read that it can be a sign that they've truly relaxed if they sigh when they're lying down etc.. Don't know if it's true or not. I have heard that too. Our male groans when he lies down, it's adorable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 My guys sleep on the floor of the bedroom and my boy sleeps up near my bedside table to get as close to me as possible. Last night my Hubby and myself were haveing adult cuddles and all I kept getting were sighs from the side of the bed. Hehehe Might be a displacement behaviour in that context. In others it may be a transition behaviour where a dog moves from one state to another, which is pretty much the same interpretation as the energy dissipation one. Erik ignores adult cuddles unless we start when he thinks we should be getting up and doing stuff with him. Then we get outraged barks and an Erik on the bed like "Guys! No! We were getting up!" He says "Hrr" when he's told to do something he doesn't want to do, or when he can't figure something out. It's like a cross between a sigh and a growl and sounds like the sounds people make when they are getting so frustrated they are about to yell and throw things. I have heard it from other dogs as well. I think sighs are usually part of regulating arousal. There is a physiological aspect. Taking a deep breath and sighing it out is calming for us and is for dogs as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weasels Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 My boy dog has mastered the 'old man groan' when he settles in for a lie-down, he sounds like he's 2 going on 80 :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 My boy dog has mastered the 'old man groan' when he settles in for a lie-down, he sounds like he's 2 going on 80 :laugh: :laugh: My girl is the same. She's very pretty and delicate looking and then she lies down and lets out a huge grumbly groan :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simply Grand Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Riley has an old man groan too (he's not yet 2), he does it when I pick him up, even when he's been jumping around my feet wanting to be picked up. Then I do and he goes 'errrrr' and sounds just like an old man with stiff joints Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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