Are Dog Yawns Contagious the Same Way People's Are?

By now, it’s well-known that “catching” yawns from another person is a sign of empathy. However, what about between dogs and humans? You and your dog have a precious, unbreakable bond; it makes sense that this would extend to yawning when they do. If you’ve noticed yourself yawning when your dog gets sleepy, you’re not alone. According to Psychology Today, contagious yawning is a sign of empathy between humans and dogs, too.

In humans, it relates to social bonding, and you’re more likely to pick up on your friends’ or family members’ yawns than you are strangers’. We already know that dogs can sense human sadness and have a level of empathy, so of course they might catch yawns from you when you’re sleepy after work.

Get 20% off 
PrettyLitter, just for our kin

Save on the litter with color-changing tech that helps you better care for your cat.

Get Your Coupon

Dog yawns might be contagious to you, but pay attention to why they’re doing it.

Sian Lawley-Rudd is the founder of Lavender Garden Animal Services. She says that, in short, dog yawning can be contagious to humans and sometimes even to other dogs. “I’ve definitely caught myself yawning after my dog has, and I know I’m not alone! There’s even some research suggesting that dogs may ‘catch’ yawns from humans they’re closely bonded to, which is pretty amazing when you think about the emotional connection we share with them.”

She adds, however, that yawning in dogs can also be a low-level sign of stress or discomfort, particularly if they are in an uncomfortable situation, such as at the vet, meeting new dogs, or after being reprimanded.

“If a dog yawns when they’re snuggled up on the sofa and nothing is happening, they’re probably just sleepy. If they’re yawning repeatedly in a busy environment or after being asked to do something challenging, that’s often a sign they’re feeling overwhelmed,” Lawley-Rudd says. “Rather than brushing it off as just a cute moment, yawns can be a great entry point into understanding our dogs’ body language more deeply. They’re subtle, but they can tell us a lot about how our dogs are coping, and help us step in before stress escalates.”

By keeping an eye on everything about your dog’s behavior and what they’re doing with their body, you can start to discern how they feel, even though they can’t tell you with words.

And contagious may not be the right word for it.

Lorraine Rhoads is the senior director of health and safety at doggie daycare Dogtopia. She had lots of really interesting insights into dog yawning but is a little more skeptical of just how contagious it can be. “While yawning is often thought to be ‘catchy,’ the exact power of a dog’s yawn to make another dog or a human yawn remains uncertain,” she says. “Let’s begin by considering that when a dog yawns, it could be a sign of emotional expression, a social connection, or simply a response to feeling sleepy.”

Rhoads adds that research, like this study from August 2008, shows that dogs sometimes engage in contagious yawning when they see or hear a human yawn. “While some studies link this behavior to empathy, others suggest it may be more about unconscious mimicry or instinctive behavior.”

Much like in human-to-human yawn catching, Rhoads says that “dogs are more likely to catch a yawn from someone they know well, like their pet parent, rather than a stranger, which hints at a deeper social bond.”

However, she adds that there is some disagreement among researchers about how common this behavior truly is. For example, while some studies report that over half of the dogs tested yawned in response to their owners, other research, such as data from Dr. Brian Hare’s Duke Canine Cognition Center, found that only five percent of dogs yawned contagiously. Rhoads says this uncertainty indicates that more research is needed to fully understand the connection between contagious yawning and social bonding in dogs.

Like Lawley-Rudd, Rhoads points out that there are many reasons other than tiredness or contagious yawning why dogs yawn. They may do it when they feel anxious, stressed, or uncertain.

“This type of yawning often occurs in situations where a dog feels uneasy, like during a vet visit or when they’re in a new environment,” Lawley-Rudd says. “Yawning in these cases is one of many calming signals dogs use to manage their emotions, often paired with behaviors like lip-licking, turning away, or avoiding eye contact. Understanding these signals can help pet parents and caregivers recognize when a dog may need space or some extra comfort to help them relax.”

So, can humans catch yawns from dogs?

Interestingly, she adds, while humans can catch yawns from one another and dogs can catch them from you, it’s less common for humans to catch them from dogs. “Humans rarely yawn in response to seeing a dog yawn. So, while you may find your dog’s yawns adorable, they’re unlikely to trigger your own,” she adds. That’s hard to believe; I’m sure many pet parents start to feel sleepy and want to yawn when they see their dog chilling and snoozing all day long, worry-free.

We might not think much of our dogs’ yawning, but it turns out it’s a pretty complicated behavior that relates to their wider wellbeing and happiness. There are all kinds of reasons why your dog might yawn, and one of them might be their intense bond with you.

You just need to look out for other cues in their body language, environment, and behavior that might indicate exactly why they’re yawning and whether it’s a sign of distress. Most of the time, though, you don’t need to worry. If they’re catching yawns from you, it’s just a symptom of how well-bonded you are.