Have you ever heard your dog laugh?

Ever wondered if dogs have their own way of laughing? It turns out they do! It’s called “play panting.” This adorable and unique behavior isn’t just your pup catching their breath – it’s their version of laughter! Thanks to a recent paper by Volsche [1] et al, confirming groundbreaking research by Simonet in 2001 , we now have a clearer understanding of what makes our furry friends giggle.

What Are Play Pants?
Imagine a doggy laugh track. That’s essentially what play pants are! These special panting sounds occur when dogs are having a blast. Whether they’re romping around with their canine buddies, chasing after a favorite toy, or playfully wrestling, these pants are their way of saying, “I’m having so much fun!”

How do they sound?
Authors indicate that doggy laughter sounds like bursts of forced breathy exhalations. Unlike play growls or play barking, play pants don’t have a tone but a “huhf” sound that occurs due to pronounced forced exhalation. Do you want to hear it? Check out petalk.org [1], where you can hear the original recordings from Simonet’s research and use it as a reference to try to hear your own dog’s laughter.

The nerdy science behind it
A carefully designed study with, fear free handling techniques, used microphones on dogs and owners, as well as video cameras, and recorded them during training, play and rest [2]. The researchers were able to not only confirm the play pant previously observed by Simonet’s work [3, 4] but they also observed that this occurs almost exclusively in relation to play behaviors, such as play bow, chase, tug, play slap. In a few cases play pants were observed during playful training related to rewards, tickling or cuddling. Play pants are a sophisticated form of communication and researchers could measure their frequency, length and irregular oscillating waveform. In a similar way as humans, who have different laughter profiles ,the authors were able to identify individual variations, likely related to dog personality, age, preferred forms of play and play style. When dogs play pant, they’re sending out a clear signal to their playmates: “This is all in good fun!” It’s like a universal canine code for friendly, non-threatening play.

Why Should You Care?
Understanding your dog’s laughter can be a game-changer! Recognizing play pants helps dog owners and trainers ensure that playtime is always fun and safe. It’s like having an inside joke with your dog – once you get it, your bond gets even stronger.

Tips for Dog Lovers
1) Listen Up: Pay attention to your dog when you are playing and try to identify your dog’s play pants. It’s a great indicator that they’re enjoying themselves.
2) Encourage Play: Create opportunities for your dog to engage in playful activities. It’s good for their physical and mental health.
3) Know the Difference: Learn to distinguish between regular panting and play panting. This can help you understand your dog’s emotional state better.

The Joy of Dog Laughter
Next time your dog starts making those happy panting sounds, you’ll know they’re laughing in their own special way. It’s a delightful reminder of the simple joys of life and the incredible bond we share with our pets.
So, next time your dog is in the middle of a play session and you hear those distinctive pants, you’ll know they’re saying, “This is the best day ever!” And really, isn’t that what every dog lover wants to hear?


References:
[1] Petalk.org
[2] Volsche, S., Gunnip, H., Brown, C., Kiperash, M., Root-Gutteridge, H., & Horowitz, A. (2023). Dogs produce distinctive play pants: Confirming Simonet. International Journal of Comparative Psychology, 35. http://dx.doi.org/10.46867/ijcp.2023.35.5620.
[3] Simonet, P., Versteeg, D., & Storie, D. (2005). Dog-laughter : Recorded playback reduces stress related behavior in shelter dogs. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Environmental Enrichment, 1–6.
[4] Simonet, P., Murphy, M., & Lance, A. (2001). Laughing dog: Vocalizations of domestic dogs during play encounters. Animal Behavior Society Conference, Bloomington, IN, USA.

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