The Humor Bond
So when does a pooch first show its fun-loving nature? According to Dr. Burch, comic dog behavior goes back to the roots of puppyhood. Puppies show their sense of humor through play with littermates. As a littermate approaches, a puppy jumping out of the tall border grass will have a look of glee on its face as if to say, Boo! Thus, games develop in litters of puppies that will be repeated for the thrill of it all.
Why is a humor an important trait for a dog, anyhow? A dog with a sense of a humor tends to enjoy life more, says Wayne Hunthausen, D.V.M., director of animal behavior consultations at the Westwood Animal Hospital in Westwood, Kansas. Plus, good humor can correspond to good temperament traits like confidence, people-orientation and an upbeat nature.
Comic dogs are healthy for you, too. Its fun to be with a dog that has a sense of humor. It keeps life interesting. It keeps things upbeat. It takes our minds off our worries, says Dr. Hunthausen. Adds Dr. Coren, The purpose of a dog is to improve your life. Humor is health-giving.
The bottom line: When we can laugh with our dogs, concludes Burch, we enjoy them more. Having good times with our dog enhances the human-animal bond and makes all of the work related to dog ownership more than worthwhile.
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