Dog Laughter
I absolutely love dogs. I mean who doesn't? What's not to like? They're furry, they're cute, they're absolutely excellent companions. But as much as they make us happy, how do we know when they are? It's not like they laugh or anything...or do they?
Researchers at the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service in Washington state say sometimes a bark is just a bark - but a long, loud panting sound has real meaning.
They say the long, loud pant is the sound of a dog laughing, and it has a direct impact on the behavior of other dogs.
When they played the sound of a dog panting over the loudspeaker, the gaggle of dogs at the shelter kept right on barking. But when they played the dog version of laughing, all 15 barking dogs went quiet within about a minute.
The article closes by saying that dog behavior experts have different opinions on what the "laugh" really is, but they all agree that it's at least a sound worth listening to. Ultimately, what better reaffirmation of the relationship between you and your dog than to know that you're both happy? Seriously, can you really stay depressed when a happy dog is jumping around and playing with you? I didn't think so.
[edit: Okay, my ending made no sense, but it's late and I'm sleepy, so please accept my apologies.]
Sounds of Dog's 'Laugh' Calms Other Pooches [ABC News]