Why Does My Dog Stretch So Much When He Sees Me?

It probably happened more than once for you take a look at your dog and think: “why the heck does he do that?”

Some of our fluffy friends do it a bit more than often, no matter if it`s only after a nap or they want to tell you that they want to go out. (“Why Is My Dog Stretching a Lot? | Sit Means Sit Orlando”, 2021)

Trust us! You aren`t alone into this issue! At DogArea we have inquiries about what`s really going on into our canine companions` heads all the time. (“10 Common Dog Behaviors And What They Really Mean”, 2021)

Does your furry friend stretch to greet you, stretch and then push you away, or simply stretch around you? This is pretty common behavior, although not all pooches do this.

Aaron (2021) claims that if your little pal usually does this, it usually means something. Let go a bit more in-depth and see what do these different types of stretching mean.

What Does It Mean When a Dog Keep Stretching?

Stretching isn`t really a serious reason to worry. However, if you notice your dog doing this on a regular basis, this might be related to an essential desire or an underlying condition.

There may be plenty of reasons why your canine stretches. Your little friend may display a completely typical behavior after a normal nap session. (Graves, 2021) He may also just want to play, or he might be in the need of some physical exercise.

Also, it may have an upset stomach, although this may be accompanied by additional signs such as fast breathing, swollen stomach, restlessness or excessive drooling.

Sadly, other more serious reasons may involve pancreatitis when stretching can represent an early symptom for this medical condition. In this case, it`s very important for you to check with a veterinarian. (“Why Is My Dog Stretching a Lot? | Sit Means Sit Orlando”, 2021)

Do Dogs Stretch When They Are Happy?

You are witness of this special treatment almost every day when getting back home. Your dog will lean back and stretch his forelegs in front, which is also known as the greeting stretch or greeting bow. (Oelze, 2021)

You should consider yourself quite happy if your little fella` is greeting you in this fashion. Most dogs won`t perform this special greeting stretch for anyone. It`s best to acknowledge this as a sign of special bond. (Bucher, 2021)

Do Dogs Stretch When They Are in Pain?

Our pooches can`t complain when they are in pain. They suffer in silence most of the time. This can make things more difficult when needing to notice when they experience pain.

Still, there are several symptoms, some of them quite obvious, that can show your little fella is in pain. – Check this!

A change in their body posture can represent a sign of pain.  For instance, swelling of their face, legs or paws can be the result of infection, inflammation and even cancer. (Playforth, 2021)

Why Does My Dog Keep Stretching and Yawning?

We discussed some of the reasons why your little pal keeps stretching. However, if you keep noticing your dog stretching and yawning at the same time more than usual, this is may involve a different topic.

According to We Love Doodles, there can be several reasons why your canine companion may stretch and yawn, which may involve:

• They might be bored.
• They may be stressed.
• They may anticipate playtime.
• They might signal you to calm down.
• They may experience abdominal issues.

Why Do Dogs Bow in Front of You?

When a dog bows it should be interpreted as a gesture of communication. Most of the time, the bow is referred to as the “play bow” as it shows how the dog is actually feeling. This can be seen as a way of the dog saying he wants to play.

Still, from time to time the bow can also be interpreted as a way of showing regret. For instance, when the dog plays and things get rough accidentally. It`s something that may have been noticed when a puppy was doing this once or twice while playing. (“Why Do Dogs Bow?”, 2021)

Why Does My Dog Arch His Back When Stretching?

Is your canine companion arching its back as a feline? If this particular behavior occurs outside of the usually stretching routine of your puppy, it may in fact be a medical problem.

Also known as kyphosis, back arching can also be defined as abdomen tucking, which can actually make a lot of sense as it may suggest gastrointestinal distress. – Read more!

Talking about medical conditions, it might alternatively be a very common symptom of spinal pain. This is most of the time true if your canine is arching its back and shaking or showing a walk without balance. (“Dog Arching Back and Walking Off Balance: What to Do Next | Southeast Veterinary Neurology”, 2021)

Why Does My Dog Put His Paws on Me and Stretch?

According to JenLovesPets, if your little friend places its paws on you, it may very well be its own way showing its affection for you.

If we pet our canine companions to express our love, why not them do the same? By placing its paw on you while your pooch is pet, your dog is actually reciprocating its love back to you.

This specific act can definitely be seen as a gesture of affection, but this isn`t the only feeling pawing can express. Your dog may want some food, it may want some playing time or it might feel anxious.

Although most situations may represent positive reinforcement for your furry friend, at times this may represent a cry for help as well. (K., 2021)

At this point, it`s vital to check out for all the other areas your canine is expressing its body language. Also, be certain to look out for any obvious changes in the behavior of your dog.

Why Does My Dog Always Stretch His Back Legs?

In particular cases, canine splooting could represent a reason of concern, showing your fluffy friend might have joint and hip problems.

Seeing your dog stretching his back legs is its way of easing this discomfort. This can be noticed as your dog is getting older or immediately after an injury. (“Dog Splooting: Cute Dog Stretching or Cause for Concern? | TopDog Health”, 2021)

In these situations, splooting might be related to:

• Ataxia
• Trauma
• Arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Hip dysplasia

Overall

As to the “why does my dog stretch so much” question, we would have to say that most of the time when this happens, it isn`t anything to worry about – that`s unless it`s something really obvious!

As Aaron (2021) outlines, your dog will always stretch in the morning during its walking up session. Also, it may very well stretch to greet, seeing that you are such great buddies!

Reference List:

10 Common Dog Behaviors And What They Really Mean. Phunkee Monkee. (2021). Retrieved 28 December 2021, from https://www.mypeppypooch.com/blogs/news/11-common-dog-behaviors-and-what-they-really-mean.

Aaron, M. (2021). Why Does My Dog Stretch on Me? (Greetings, Pushing, + More). DoggySaurus. Retrieved 28 December 2021, from https://doggysaurus.com/why-does-my-dog-stretch-on-me/.

Bucher, A. (2021). The Greetings Stretch – Andrew’s Blog. Blog.medicanimal.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021, from https://blog.medicanimal.com/petnews/the-greetings-stretch/.

Dog Arching Back and Walking Off Balance: What to Do Next | Southeast Veterinary Neurology. Southeast Veterinary Neurology. (2021). Retrieved 29 December 2021, from https://sevneurology.com/blog/dog-arching-back-walking-off-balance/.

Dog Splooting: Cute Dog Stretching or Cause for Concern? | TopDog Health. TopDog Health. (2021). Retrieved 30 December 2021, from https://topdoghealth.com/dog-splooting/.

Graves, S. (2021). Dog is Stretching a Lot? What It Means and What to Do. Top Dog Tips. Retrieved 28 December 2021, from https://topdogtips.com/dog-is-stretching-a-lot/.

K., M. (2021). Animal Behaviors and why dogs put their paws on you – JenLovesPets. JenLovesPets. Retrieved 29 December 2021, from https://www.jenlovespets.com/2020/01/15/animal-behaviors-and-why-dogs-put-their-paws-on-you/.

Oelze, P. (2021). Why Do Dogs Stretch – Wag!. WagWalking. Retrieved 30 December 2021, from https://wagwalking.com/behavior/why-do-dogs-stretch.

Playforth, L. (2021). Nine Warning Signs That Could Mean Your Dog Is in Pain. Vets Now. Retrieved 30 December 2021, from https://www.vets-now.com/2017/06/10-signs-dog-pain/.

Why Do Dogs Bow?. Cesar’s Way. (2021). Retrieved 28 December 2021, from https://www.cesarsway.com/why-do-dogs-bow/.

Why Does My Dog Stretch So Much? 5 Reasons. (2022) – We Love Doodles. We Love Doodles. (2021). Retrieved 30 December 2021, from https://welovedoodles.com/why-does-my-dog-stretch-so-much/.

Why Is My Dog Stretching a Lot? | Sit Means Sit Orlando. Sit Means Sit Orlando | 407-900-PAWS. (2021). Retrieved 28 December 2021, from https://sitmeanssit.com/dog-training-mu/orlando-dog-training/dog-questions/why-is-my-dog-stretching-a-lot/.