How to Train Your Dog to Yawn

Yawning might be contagious amongst people and animals, but it can also make a neat dog trick to entertain friends and family with while strengthening the bond between you and your pup. With a few quick training steps, your dog can learn how to yawn on your command.

While this particular skill, once learned, can amuse any visitors you have over to the house, it’s more important as a way in which you can build and improve your relationship with your dog. Because dogs naturally yawn as a form of communication --- generally when they are calling other dogs or feeling confused, unsure, or anxious --- you can capture the moment your dog opens his mouth and begin a training process that will result in a yawn on command. By following one of the training plans below, your dog can master this trick in no time at all!

Any skill-based training can reinforce and better the balance between owner and canine. Learned skills, no matter how simple or challenging, will boost your confidence as an owner, and give your dog a clearer understanding of the expectations associated with your command. 

In the canine universe, yawning is a calming signal communicated between dogs. Aside from people, dogs are the only species that yawn contagiously, which makes teaching your dog to yawn an easy task. Shaping this behavior will strengthen the cross-species communication between you and your dog and help you train your dog to master the yawn on command. With the right timing, practice, and patience, dogs of any breed, size, or age can quickly learn this fun trick.

The training options below will require treats or some other form of reward and a clicker, for those owners who are interested in or experienced in clicker training.

Aside from these items, successful training means being patient, consistent, and having a good sense of timing while following these steps. Rely on positive communication with your dog as a means to accomplish this task.