When you take your retriever for a walk, its movements are clear and confident. Meanwhile, your neighbor’s Chihuahua often shakes for no apparent reason, so much so that you feel compelled to comfort it.
Why does this happen with small dogs? The answers from experts turn out to be more complex than you’d expect.
In clinical settings, owners of miniature dogs report more frequent shaking in their pets, says Carlo Siracusa, a specialist at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (USA). Although he hasn’t seen studies comparing shaking across different sizes, he has often observed it in his small dog patients.
Small Animals Defy the Laws of Physics
If these tiny creatures do indeed shake more, it’s likely a way to maintain a constant internal body temperature regardless of the season or the weather outside. This process is known as thermoregulation.
As Siracusa explained to Popular Science, small dogs lose a lot of heat because their bodies are compact and they have a relatively large surface area compared to their mass.
Compensating for that heat loss requires energy, and small dogs have to expend a lot of it. It may seem that a Great Dane uses significantly more energy than a Papillon, but the relative energy expenditure of a Great Dane is lower, explains John Speakman, a biology professor at the University of Aberdeen (UK). Speakman discovered this in 2003. It turns out that small dogs burn about 60 percent more energy per gram of body tissue than larger dogs. However, this pattern applies broadly across biology, Speakman noted.
He also added that “a large dog doesn’t need to start shaking until it gets very cold, whereas a small dog has to start shaking much earlier.”
Temperatures Comfortable for Humans Aren’t Always Good for Dogs
Siracusa believes that small dogs shake more because they are closer to the ground, where cold air tends to settle.
To determine if low temperatures are causing your four-legged friend to shake, the expert advises observing your dog in different conditions.
For instance, if it’s very quiet and your resting dog is shaking, there’s a good chance they’re just too cold. While these body vibrations can also be caused by dreaming, those episodes are usually short-lived.
If you suspect the cold is the cause, provide your pet with sources of warmth, such as heated beds and blankets. If they continue to shake after warming up, look for other reasons.
If It’s Not the Cold, Then What?
Shaking can be a sign of neurological problems. It can also be a side effect of some antihistamines and serotonergic medications used to treat anxiety and aggression in dogs.
There’s even a condition called “small dog syndrome,” also referred to as idiopathic generalized tremor syndrome. It’s sometimes called “white dog shaker syndrome,” but the “white” part is misleading — dogs of any color can be affected. “Small” is a better description: small breeds are more often affected by this disorder.
Another factor that causes small dogs to shake is how people interact with them. A small dog is easier to handle and dismiss. When a large dog lunges at someone, people respond; when a tiny dog lunges, people often laugh. That leads to the dog’s fear signals being ignored and increases the pet’s stress. When stress hormones kick in, muscles tense and the dog may shake.
So, the next time you see a dog in such a state, remember the cause could be cold, stress, or simply their body type. Wrap them in a warm blanket, and if that doesn’t help, consult a veterinarian.
