Research Reveals The Sweet Reason Dogs Intentionally Try To Make Their Owners Laugh
Just when you thought you couldn't love your dog anymore!
Loes Kieboom / Shutterstock If you’re a dog owner, there is no doubt that your furry friend has made you laugh out loud on several occasions, whether they were chasing their tails or resting in an awkward position.
While many of us assume that our dogs’ hilarious actions are unintentional, research suggests that they may just be purposefully attempting to get a laugh out of us.
Dogs attempt to make their owners laugh since they know that laughing means they are happy.
Just when you think dogs could not get any better, they somehow find a way to show us that they are truly the best!
According to research conducted by Veronika Konok at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary, dogs are highly sensitive to their owners' emotions and respond differently depending on whether the owner is happy or sad.
Dogs can distinguish between different tones of voice. For example, they are less likely to go for food or a treat from their owners if they sound angry or upset and more likely to engage if they sound happy or excited.
It is unclear if it is a learned behavior from living with humans or an adaptation created through selective breeding.
Like humans, dogs react strongly to positive emotions and want to keep us happy when they sense that we are in a good mood.
Since they know that laughter is a sign of happiness, our dogs actively work to make us laugh more!
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“This makes me love my dog even more!” one social media user shared.
“I actually did know this because my dog will purposely sit when he has to fart cause he knows it will make a noise and I’ll laugh,” another user wrote.
Believe it or not, dogs also have a sense of humor that is influenced by their owners.
It was first noticed by the well-known naturalist Charles Darwin. Darwin determined that a dog's sense of humor is personal and shaped by what they pick up on from their surroundings.
Since dogs have a sense of humor and strive to make us laugh, we may ask ourselves if they are capable of laughing themselves. The answer is yes, but it does not come across the same way human laughter does.
Dogs demonstrate laughter through “energetic panting,” known as “play-pants.” According to PetMD, play-pants are a form of breathing and can often occur when dogs are the happiest, such as when they are playing with their owners or other dogs.
Patricia Simonet at Sierra Nevada College was actually able to record the distinct inflection of a dog laugh and study it. She found that when the sound was played for puppies, they became excitedly joyous. What's more, Simonet's research has opened the door to more research suggesting a variety of species not only laugh but actively engage in the practice!
Just like humans demonstrate different sounds when they are laughing, dogs’ play-pants all sound unique depending on their breed, size, and how happy they are.
Dog owners know just how much joy their furry friends bring into their lives without them ever having to try.
However, knowing that they do try just makes them all the better!
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.