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When australian shepherds shake there’s always a reason behind it. Some reasons are quite harmless while others can be much more serious and something to be concerned about.
It’s important to know what’s causing your australian shepherd to shake so you know what to do to help them.
Why Do Australian Shepherds Shake:
The most harmless reason why australian shepherds shake is because they’re excited about something. Other reasons why they shake, shiver or tremble are because they’re feeling anxious, they’re in pain, their muscles are getting weaker as they’re getting older or an underlying health issue.
In this post you’ll discover:
- 11 real reasons why australian shepherds shake
- When your aussie’s shaking is something to be concerned about
- Tips to help your australian shepherd stop shaking
- And much more
Let’s jump right in.
Table of Contents
11 Reasons Why Australian Shepherds Shake, Shiver Or Tremble
1) Happiness Wiggle
Sometimes when an australian shepherd is super excited about something they’ll shake from feeling overly excited.
They simply aren’t able to contain their excitement and it makes their whole body shake.
You’ll probably notice this more when they’re about to get a treat, when you come home from work, or right before they’re about to go for a walk.
These types of shakes are nothing to worry about and are simply an overflow of happiness.
If you don’t notice them shaking in any other situations their shaking is completely normal.
Related Reading: 14 Real Reasons Why Australian Shepherds Wiggle
2) Extreme Fear
Sometimes when an australian shepherd is feeling afraid of something they’ll shake.
In most cases this shaking will show itself as a full body tremble or shiver.
Usually you’ll notice this type of behavior when your dog is exposed to a frightening place, person, loud noise etc.
For example: if they’re afraid of fireworks and an explosion goes off they’ll probably do this shaking behavior.
This type of fear is completely normal and most dogs will show it in some way when exposed to something scary.
It’s important for you as the owner to make sure your aussie isn’t feeling fearful too often as that can cause them to develop anxiety.
3) Overly Anxious
If your australian shepherd has had high levels of anxiety for a long period of time it can definitely make them shake.
The major difference between shaking from anxiety and fear is that fear induced shaking will typically come from a physical threat.
Whereas anxious shaking comes from strong negative emotional feelings.
This is often seen with aussies that develop separation anxiety.
Your aussie can develop separation anxiety at any point in their life and will typically present itself when they’ve gone through a big life/environment change.
For example, a change in owner, a change in their daily schedule, moving to a new neighborhood, or a loved one passing away.
Related Reading: Australian Shepherd Anxiety: Symptoms, Causes & Solutions
4) Getting Older
As your aussie ages they can start to show signs of muscle weakness which causes them to shake.
Typically this shaking is seen when they get up or try to move around.
As your aussie gets older it’s important for you to make sure they maintain a healthy weight and get regular exercise (to help keep their muscles strong).
You can also help them stay active by playing with them regularly and taking them on walks.
The better you are at helping them stay fit and healthy as they age the less you should see them shaking from muscle weakness.
You may start seeing shaking for this reason happen from your australian shepherd between the ages of 8 and 12.
Related Reading: Top 8 Best Beds For Australian Shepherds
5) They’re In Pain
If one of your aussie’s body parts is in pain they may start shaking that area.
This can be especially true for something like an ear infection where it causes them to shake their head or face because it hurts too much.
Some other examples are if they have an injury on their leg like a cut or tumor.
If your aussie starts shaking in one specific area it’s important for you to make sure they’re not in pain.
You’ll want to take them to the vet if this type of shaking continues instead of waiting for it to go away on its own.
6) Feeling Chilly
While your aussie has a nice thick coat to keep them warm, if it’s cold enough outside, they can still catch a chill that causes them to shake.
You may notice this more around the fall and winter months as the temperatures drop.
The main reason they’ll get cold is because of their unprotected paws when they stand on cold pavement or snow/ice.
Another reason is simply because their body is closer to the frozen ground.
The air is much warmer the further away you get from the cold earth surface.
So, with their paws being exposed to the cold ground and their body generally being closer to the ground, they’ll shake from feeling chilly.
Shaking here is their body attempting to create friction and warm themselves back up.
If you notice this often in the colder months of the year it might be worth getting them some boots and/or a jacket.
7) Possible Hypoglycemia
If your australian shepherd has low blood sugar they may start to shake.
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and seizures are sometimes related and can be mistaken for each other.
It’s a lot more common in diabetics but can still happen to perfectly healthy dogs as well.
If you notice your aussie suddenly shaking without an explanation it’s important for you to get their blood sugar checked by the vet.
A simple paw prick test is all that’s required and they should be able to tell if it’s low or not.
8) Distemper Or A Viral Infection
This is a pretty rare case but it’s still important for you to know.
If your australian shepherd has distemper or another viral infection that affects their central nervous system they can shake.
If your aussie shows signs of the following: loss of appetite, vomiting or diarrhea (which may contain blood), lethargic, seizures or tremors it’s important for you to take them in for medical treatment.
This will more likely happen only if your aussie isn’t up to date on their vaccinations.
9) GTS
Generalized tremor syndrome can often be mistaken for being cold or anxious but is actually a form of a nervous system disease.
Your dog’s muscles will start shaking and it becomes more severe the more they try to move around.
It typically starts out as a subtle trembling of their head and legs but eventually (after months) it will become noticeable in all other parts of their body, including their torso and neck.
This type of tremoring is involuntary which means your aussie can’t control it.
It’s important for you to get them diagnosed if you see any of these symptoms as it may be treatable with medication, therapy or diet changes.
10) Something Isn’t Sitting Well In Their Stomach
If your australian shepherd ate something that isn’t agreeing with them they may shake as a result.
This could be from medication, some human food they ate earlier, if they ate something from the garbage, or if they ate an inedible item.
If your dog ate something that upset their stomach it could lead to vomiting and/or diarrhea which can cause them to shake because of dehydration.
The shaking could also be from not having any food in their system to use as fuel which affects their overall strength and energy levels.
If your australian shepherd is shaking, throwing up often and hasn’t had a solid poop for several days they should be looked at by a vet.
11) Seizure Aftermath
Many people are aware that when a dog has a seizure their body will tense up completely and they’ll shake on the floor.
What people aren’t super aware of is the shivering or shaking that can happen after a seizure.
The reason this happens is because their body was fully flexed and tensed up for however long their seizure was.
Which means your pup is likely exhausted and their muscles are tired which makes them shake because they were just used intensely.
If your aussie has a seizure it’s important to take them to see a vet.
You may also notice your pup shivering a little or slightly shaking while on your way to see the vet due to muscle fatigue.
Other posts you might find interesting:
12 Best Harnesses for Australian Shepherds
9 Reasons Why Australian Shepherds Drool So Much + Tips
11 Reasons Why Australian Shepherds Are So Needy & Clingy
9 Reasons Australian Shepherds Eat Poop + How To Stop It