Go On, Smile at Your Dog — Science Says They Love It

If your dog seems happier when you smile at them, it turns out you might not be imagining it.

Scientists studying how dogs respond to human emotions have discovered that seeing a smiling human face activates an area of a dog’s brain associated with reward — suggesting that our smiles really do mean something to our four-legged friends.

Researchers at the University of Vienna asked 14 dogs to sit patiently in a brain scanner while they were shown photographs of strangers displaying different facial expressions.

When the dogs saw happy, smiling faces, their reward circuitry became more active. This is the same part of the brain involved when something enjoyable or rewarding happens — and previous research has shown it responding when dogs anticipate a tasty snack or smell someone familiar.

Happiness Stands Out

The researchers didn’t stop at smiles.

The dogs were also shown faces displaying anger, fear and sadness. While their brains responded to the different expressions, it was happiness that stood out: only the happy faces produced the response in the reward circuitry.

That means even the smile of a complete stranger appears to have a positive value to a dog.

Thousands of Years Together

Dogs have lived alongside humans for thousands of years, and the researchers believe domestication has helped shape their remarkable ability to understand and cooperate with us.

Unlike our relationship with other primates, dogs and humans didn’t develop these abilities because of a recent common ancestor. Instead, two very different species have spent thousands of years learning to live together.

And somewhere along the way, dogs became exceptionally good at reading us.

So, Give Them a Smile

We normally think of rewarding a dog with a treat, a favourite toy or a good scratch behind the ears.

But perhaps there’s an even easier one.

The researchers suggest that our own happiness can be rewarding to dogs too.

So next time your dog looks up at you, give them a smile.

And perhaps give the random dog you pass in the street one as well.

Science says they might appreciate it more than you realise. 🐾