It's a dog's life...

The next time you hear dogs making a panting, excited noise, they may be laughing at you!

Recent results by Patricia Simonet, an animal behaviourist...

An animal behaviourist says she has figured out what dogs are doing when they make that excited panting noise while playing or anticipating a much desired walk. They're laughing.

Patricia Simonet, development and programme coordinator for Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service, found that the sound of dog laughter comforts other dogs. When she played a recording of "play panting" through the speaker system at a shelter in Spokane Valley, all the barking dogs quieted within a minute. "I wanted to see if I could reduce the dogs' stress by playing the sound in the shelter," Simonet said. "I was surprised when they were calm and quiet."

And here's the best part...

Eventually, Simonet wants to market the dog sound commercially.