Achooo! Bless you, Pup! Does your dog sneeze when playing with you or another dog? Pooch sneezing in certain circumstances can be their way of communicating. At other times a sneeze is a reaction to allergens. But how do you tell the difference? What is your dog’s little snorty sneeze trying to tell you? Read on for an explanation and a handy chart to help sort out “sneezing behaviors”.
Playful sneezing
A bouncy, happy dog will often sneeze as he plays or when he’s happy such as when he greets you. This is your furry pal’s way of saying “I’m happy to see you” or “This play is purely for fun, not aggression”. The sneeze can have a wagging tail along with it. This sneeze is more of a snort. It comes from the nasal cavity, not the lungs. That’s why playful sneezes are so short and often have multiples in a short period. Play sneezes mean your dog is happy and excited. It is a dog’s way of laughing, and is a sign of pure joy from them. It can even be contagious between one dog to another, like laughter is for humans.
Hey I’m here sneeze
Your dog may have noticed that they can get your attention when they play sneeze. Then it’s game-on to use it when they want you to play with them or get your attention. They use the same type of sneeze to say “Let’s go. Let’s Play”
I’m done sneeze
When a dog is finished playing and has had enough, a totally different kind of sneeze happens. It’s the “back off sneeze”. This happens when a pooch is tired and wants to signal to stop play without showing aggression. The sneeze often comes with a yawn, backing off or maybe even laying down to get away from the action. It’s important to monitor your dog’s play especially with other dogs to pick up on this subtle request for time-out.
The yuck! What is that sneeze
Dog’s can have another type of sneeze when playing. This sneeze is in reaction to something irritating their respiratory system like perfumes, candles, fumes or allergens. When dog’s play they get out of breath and their heavier breathing can pull in these smells to their sensitive noses. These sneezes will be frequent and can have nose or eye discharge. Or your dog may have gotten sand or dirt up their snoot while playing and sneeze to clear it. Certain breeds of dogs with short snouts like pugs or bulldogs, called Brachycephalic breeds have respiratory problems that make them more prone to sneezing during play.
To tell one type of sneeze from another, take a look at the “Sneeze Chart” below
Type of Sneeze Body Language Message
Play Sneeze Relaxed body, wagging tail, “I’m having a ball and we’re
soft eyes safe with each other”
I’m done sneeze Short sneeze while backing away “I’m tired and finished
yawning or laying down playing”
Yuck What is that sneeze Frequent full body sneeze with “Something is irritating me”
Nose or eye discharge
Has that enlightened you on canine sneezes? Experience the joy of your dog’s play sneezes soon.
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