Dogs are capable of experiencing a wide range of emotions, including happiness. Those of us who have the pleasure of living with a best dog friend know well that, in addition to brightening each of our days, dogs are also especially happy on certain occasions, such as when they go for a walk, play with their guardians or with other dogs., receive affection from those who like them, enjoy their favorite food, among other things.
But, Do dogs smile? And if they do, Why do dogs smile? Does he have his own sense of humor? In this article on our site we will try to answer the most frequently asked questions about dog laughter, you can't miss it!
Dogs and emotions
To know if dogs smile, we must first ask ourselves how dogs experience emotions, such as joy, love and fear Thanks to advances in science and technology, we now know that dogs (like many other mammals) experience basic emotions in a similar way to humans. This is mainly because our best friends have the same brain structures as us and emotions are "processed" in the deep regions of the brain that make up the limbic system.
In dogs and humans, emotions are produced from the uptake of stimuli but it is also related to memory. This process of interpretation that makes it possible to feel emotions in such different ways, such as joy and fear, involves not only neuronal activity in the brain, but also leads to the release of hormonesthat produce some chemical changes in the body.
Fortunately, science has also allowed us to understand that dogs, when they have certain emotions, undergo chemical and hormonal changes very similar to ours. Your body even produces the oxytocin, better known as " love hormone", and That is why dogs feel love for their guardians and express it in different ways in their daily lives, mainly through their unparalleled loy alty.
Logically, we still have a lot to learn about the minds and feelings of our best friends and that is why on our site we are constantly sharing new articles and curiosities about dogs. But we can already affirm that dogs do have very complex emotions, they experience them in a similar way to us and they say a lot about their lifestyle and the environment where they live. develop.
Do dogs laugh when they are happy?
Usually handlers sense their dogs are happy by their vibrous tail wagging However, our best friends They express their joy in various ways through their body language, including their postures, facial expressions, gestures, and actions. And if you wonder if dogs smile, the answer is: Yes! Dogs laugh, even if they don't laugh exactly the way we do.
How do dogs smile?
There have been many experts who have dedicated themselves to studying dog laughter and its body expressions. Their dedication has allowed us to learn that a laughing dog usually has the mouth open, relaxed and stretched to the sides, causing its mouth to curve slightly and its angle look more pronounced. We typically see his ears back and relaxed, tongue sticking out, and energetic tailhis eyes are usually relaxed and may squint as a sign of relaxation.
Although it is possible to see his teeth through the opening of his mouth, we clearly notice the difference with an angry dog that shows his teeth and adopts a defensive posture. As he is experiencing a positive emotion such as joy, naturally, his body language should not include signs of fear or aggressiveness A dog that laughs and is happy is a stable dog and sure of himself, who enjoys sharing the activities of his liking with his guardians, family and dog friends.
Of course, dog language is very complex and each dog is a unique individual, so their way of smiling can vary depending on their personality, their mood, their environment and the context in which is in every moment of your life.
And what do dog laughs sound like?
When something is so funny to the point of making us laugh, we usually emit a characteristic sound that accompanies a sincere and prolonged smile. And according to the interesting study carried out by the ethologist Patricia Simonet, from the University of Nevada (USA), dogs can also laugh out loud they become very happy.
To expand the knowledge available until then about the laughter of dogs, Dr. Simonet had the brilliant idea of recording the sounds emitted by dogs when they met and played with other dogs in parks. By listening to and analyzing recordings of her, she and a team of researchers have discovered that, while dogs play, her panting sounds very distinctive
When a dog interacts positively with other dogs and is happy, he makes a breathy sound in the middle of his usual panting. And immediately, their interlocutors respond, appearing more excited and willing to play, which intensifies the game session between these dogs. According to Dr. Simonet, this kind of breathy panting would be the vocalization of dog laughter, which to us would sound like a " hhuh, hhuh ", when amplified its peculiar sound.
In addition, they have played the recordings in some shelters and protectors, making the dogs that were rescued and waiting for a family listen to them. The response to this sound stimulation has been very positive, as several dogs have improved their mood, reducing symptoms of stress and nervousness. Perhaps that is why our best friends always manage to infect us with their joy, improving each of our days.
