Have you ever been curious as to whether or not your dog could be tickled?
Are dogs ticklish? You may not know this, but dogs, just like humans can be tickled too. Dogs also experience knismesis, which is the scientific word for what you would call a tickle sensation.
Dr. Gerken, a veterinarian at Florida Veterinary Behavior Service, said, “The tickle sensation results from the activation of nerves on and beneath the skin associated with both touch and pain. Because dogs have the same nerve endings on their skin as humans … they likely experience similar sensations in response to being touched in sensitive areas of the body.” Dogs also experience the tickle sensation (knismesis), but it’s different from gargalesis (aka the tickle sensation in humans that leads to laughter).
How to tickle a dog?
It’s easy to tickle a dog, you just have to lightly brush your fingers over his ticklish spots. “Tickling a dog is very similar to tickling a person. You can lightly touch your dog in a sensitive area and wiggle your fingers back and forth to elicit a response,” Dr. Gerken said.
Dogs’ ticklish spots:
Dogs have ticklish spots all over their body, but it’s important to know that each dog is unique – so your pup might be really ticklish about one spot while another place doesn’t seem as ticklish at all.
Here are some dogs’ ticklish spots:
•Underbelly
•Back
•Base of the tail
•Paws
•Ears
•Neck
•Sides of the belly
Signs your dog is being tickled
•Moving his head
•Pulling his limbs away
•Kicking his hind legs
•Kicking or flicking his ears
•Wigging or writhing his body
•Twitching the legs when hair between paw pads are touched
It is important to note that certain underlying medical issues can also cause the above reactions in dogs. So if you notice any change in your dog’s usual behavior or appearance, be sure to take him immediately for vet care.
Do dogs like to be tickled?
Dogs have different personalities and preferences when it comes to being tickled. Some enjoy the feeling, while others don’t at all.
Dr. Gerken said, “As is the case with people, some dogs may enjoy tickling while others may not. Dogs may have learned that a tickle session leads to a positive interaction with and attention from their favorite humans. However, some dogs are more sensitive than others to being touched in particular places.”
If your dog is sensitive in certain areas, he most likely won’t want to be tickled or touched there. Avoid these areas for his sake. Dogs are often very particular about where and how they’re touched. So if your dog doesn’t like being tickled, it could be an issue with the way you do so or which part of his body is being tickled.
Signs your dog doesn’t like to be tickled
•Tries to get away
•Tries to bite you
•Puts his ears back
•Lowers his tail below his back
•Stiffens
•Bares his teeth
•Growls
If you notice any of the above behaviors, it’s best to stop and withdraw from the interaction immediately.
Can dogs laugh if being tickled?
It is not certain whether or not dogs can laugh, but it’s clear that they are ticklish. People have been arguing about whether dogs can laugh for years, but it seems they are able to produce vocalizations that sound like laughter. That being said there’s still a lot of debate on what exactly constitutes “laughing.”
So if you want to know whether or not your pup is ticklish, try the tips listed above and give it a go. Just make sure that you are aware of the signs so that you can keep it fun and safe for both of you.
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