Are Dogs Ticklish Anywhere?

Dogs might not laugh out loud, but scratch one in the right spot and watch his leg twitch. People tend to take this as proof that they're tickling their dogs. They're probably right -- kind of. The tickle reaction is barely understood in people, much less dogs, but given what is known, it's likely that your four-legged friends enjoy a good tickling too.

  1. Try the Belly

    • If there is one spot that tends to be ticklish on a dog, it's her belly. Scratching her belly may mimic the sensation of an insect or the breeze, activating nerves under her skin. This in turn causes the twitching leg that mimics the scratching motion. But since you're essentially providing the itch and the scratch, your dog isn't actually scratching, just mimicking the movement. Some dogs also respond this way when you scratch their chests, rumps or even between their toes.

    The Debate

    • Whether that shaking leg actually indicates that your dog is ticklish is the center of a debate among dog owners. Some wonder whether the flailing leg really proves anything, while those who believe their dogs are ticklish say that the involuntary motion is proof enough. After all, because the dog isn't actually scratching, the movement serves no practical purpose -- it's just a reaction, the same as jolting or balling up when someone tickles you.

    Tickling vs. Irritating

    • Another avenue in the debate over whether dogs are ticklish is whether what people think of as tickling is actually annoying to dogs. Though dogs tend to be more ticklish around their bellies, chests and butts, some break into leg spasms when you scratch them behind their ears. This causes them to twitch, but also to paw at their ears, which often is a sign of discomfort. However, in most cases you are probably not irritating your dog by tickling him, else he would simply leave.

    Finding the Tickle Spot

    • If you want to find your dog's ticklish spots, sit down on the floor next to him and scratch under his chin. Work your way down his neck and chest until you get to his belly. At some point, if he's ticklish, his leg will twitch, and bingo. Keep in mind, not all dogs, like not all people, are ticklish. But even if your dog isn't ticklish, trying to find his tickle spot will at least give you both some good bonding time.