For centuries, man has not abandoned his mission to search for similarities between humans and animals. Charles Darwin was one of them, and by doing a lot of research, like humans, Animals have a sense of humor. Do dogs laugh? This is something many experts have explored, considering that by definition, laughter is a physiological response to humor.
The answer is yes, dogs laugh, but you have to understand that dogs’ laughter is very different from humans. ours can be explained as a series of rhythmic, vocal, expiratory and involuntary actions, while dogs breathe louder. Although dogs don’t exactly laugh like we do, they also to convey that they are happyoften while playing and inviting people and other dogs to participate.
in his book Man Meets Dog, expert Konrad Lorenz describes his smile as “open jaws that reveal the tongue and the slanted angle of the mouth that extends almost from ear to ear.” According to him, this “laughter” is most evident in dogs playing with their masters and getting so excited that they start panting. Sometimes they also use body language, bending over or jumping.
Does that mean dogs have a sense of humor? It’s more complex. Dogs have evolved as if they had a youthful mind, something similar to that of dogs. neoteny (preservation of youthful characteristics) in humans. Something that explains their constant playful behavior.
This phenomenon was first explored by Charles Darwin, who assumed that if the game describes a sense of humor, then dogs know what’s funny. Inside man’s descentHe looked for similarities in feelings between animals and humans and observed what he saw as something. sense of humor This goes beyond the game.
Other works They showed that primates have a sense of humor. Gorilla Koko is a good example of this. Not only did you understand more than 2,000 words, but he could also make practical jokes and use word games. Scientists in the field of evolutionary biology suggest that many, if not most, animals know what is funny.
Few years ago, Published research from Eötvös Loránd University Current Biology He took a big step towards understanding this aspect of animals. He used fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) technology, which monitors blood flow to various parts of the brain, and concluded that dog brains can process human voices and respond differently to our emotions. So, according to the tone of your voiceDogs can tell if you’re happy or sad.
The research also revealed that their brains show different types of activity depending on the sounds they hear. When they were happy and positive, such as a human laughing or barking in response to the owner’s return home, certain areas of their auditory cortex showed more activity than when listening to a human or animal cry: a dog. Whether these responses are behaviors learned from living with humans or an adaptation created through selective evolutionary reproduction remains to be investigated.
Research also shows that some breeds have a better sense of humor than others. Up to five: irish setter, English Springer Spaniel, Miniature Schnauzer, Cairn Terrier And Airedale Terrier. Five less: samoyed, chihuahua, rottweiler, Pekingese And Akitas.
Are they trying to make us laugh?
Science offers clues that dogs have had enough understanding social cues realizing that smiling is positive. Basically, they understand that laughing means playing and that playing is positive. That’s why they often do something to make us laugh. Dogs are usually very adjusted to their master’s body language. “Just like a baby, the reaction a dog gets the first time he smiles at a person is enough to put the action into the dog’s body language lexicon,” said veterinarian Jo Myers. In this article.
As the expert says, most dogs quickly learn what human laughter is. Saying good things are happening. Therefore, they like to be surrounded by smiling people. “Because they are so sociable, they are motivated to participate in the good things that are happening with their humans. This means a dog that uses happy body language alongside smiling people: a playful expression, smiles and moves its tail.”
So, although in the social and natural interaction between dogs they are doing their best to learn our language because they are dying to contact us. “As a result, our ‘bilingual’ canine friends share their joy with us in a variety of ways, including smiling and laughing,” Myers said.
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