We all know that feeling. You wake up in the morning, yawning and stretching your arms above your head. But have you ever wondered why dogs always seem to do a big stretch after they wake up?
Well, it turns out that there are a few reasons for this.
Why Do Dogs Always Stretch?
Good for the muscles
For one, stretching helps to wake up the muscles and get the blood flowing. This is especially important for dogs, who often spend a lot of time lying down and resting.
Relieves soreness
Another reason is that stretching helps to relieve any stiffness or soreness in the muscles. Just like us, dogs can sometimes get a little sore after sleeping in the same position for too long.
Mimics hunting behaviors
But there may be another reason that dogs like to stretch, and that’s because it mimics some of the hunting behaviors they would do in the wild.
In the wild, dogs would often have to run long distances after their prey. After a big chase, they would then need to rest and recover before doing it all over again. So, by stretching after waking up, dogs may be preparing their muscles for another big day of hunting (or playing!).
If your dog can’t stretch successfully by himself, you can also help him by following the video below.
Need more dog facts? Check out our PetFitness blog for more interesting articles about our furry friends!
