Does your pooch make you smile? If he does and you smile at him, chances are he will ‘smile' on back. He's reacting to your happiness and showing his gratitude and love for you in return!

Fortunately we’ve got this thing called science that can explain it all! Here are 10 ways dogs are known to “laugh”:

1. They Know Their Audience

Dogs are extremely sensitive to the emotions of their humans. They know when we are sad. And they know when we are fascinated by them.

Via Unspoken Pictures

2. They Smile. Hard.

A University of Wisconsin Stevens Point (UWSP)-compiled dog behavior defines dog smiling as a “relaxed, open-mouthed facial expression” that is often a response to a human’s smile, known as laughter contagion.

Via Senior Gif

3. Dogs Laugh, Just Not The Way We Do

Depending on the size of the dog and shape of their face, the way a dog laugh’s will differ, but generally a “head up, toothy broad-mouth, sparkling eyes, and a chuffing pant typify canine crack up”, according to Psychology Today.

A dog-respiration study published in Stanford University’s Science News describes dog laughter as “a broader-frequency exhalation” than panting. It also found that playing back recordings of dog laughter calmed anxious dogs, giving them more confidence to interact with other dogs and people.

Via Instagram / World of Pepper the Frenchie

4. They Swipe Your Stuff.

Like children, dogs are simply amused by objects that are not their own. Seeing their human’s response when they turn a pair of undies into a chew toy is a fun game for them. Part of the fun for the dog is seeing a human’s reaction when they snag something they know they’re not supposed to.

Via Flickr

5. They Wag and Wiggle.

While this may seem like a pawbvious one, but the word wag is actually a synonym for comedian, humorist, jester, jokester, or prankster. Even when their face doesn’t show it (which it usually does), their tushies do. What I love about this is that dogs who have shorter tails tend to compensate with wiggling their entire bodies. And it is delightful to watch.

Via Rover

Isn't it fun having your doggy entertain you? Or perhaps you're entertaining him, and it's the other way around? I think both your pooch and you both play a part in entertaining one another — after all, sometimes things get boring, and you have to liven things up! One of the easiest ways to do that is by smiling, which is what BarkPost does an excellent job reminding us.