Song And Trance Routine: Does Your Dog Trance?

Click here to read the complete article
186 – The Annual, 2024-25

By Caroline Coile

Does your dog trance? Have you seen him creep in slow motion in an almost trance-like way, often as low-hanging leaves or clothes brush along his back? That’s called trancing, or ghost walking, and nobody knows why some dogs do it, but they do. Go to YouTube and search for dog trancing and you’ll see lots of examples.

It’s not a focal seizure, as some people suggest. You can call the dog out of it, some with more difficulty than others, although they seem reluctant to stop what is apparently very pleasurable behavior. Once interrupted, they’re perfectly normal.

Dogs often have favorite trancing tree or area, but there’s no common tree species that might hint at a scent trigger. And some prefer hanging clothes. Some even prefer odder things, but what most have in common when trancing is it’s done beneath something that hangs down and scarcely touches their back. I’ve never seen it happen while on leash or in the middle of the dog doing something else. It just seems to be a “me-time” sort of behavior.

Certain breeds seem to trance more than others. Greyhounds and Bull Terriers head the list. But Salukis also seem to have more than their share (I‘ve had two), as do Basset Hounds. However, it occurs in just about every breed.

Click here to read the complete article
186 – The Annual, 2024-25

Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=315415

Posted by AnthonyA on Jan 1 2025. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.