The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns

So, they're saying that not only can dogs laugh, but that their laugh has a calming effect on other doggies.

Research has determined that the long, loud panting that dogs do is a sort of laugh, and it has significance in soothing other pooches. An animal shelter played a recording of a laughing dog and the results surprised the researchers.

"When they played the sound of a dog panting over the loudspeaker, the gaggle of dogs at the shelter kept right on barking. But when they played the dog version of laughing, all 15 barking dogs went quiet within about a minute."

Well, if there's anyone out there who enjoys inventing things and is looking for an idea to work with, there's one for sure.

You could create something that gives off a synthetic dog laugh or find a way to "bottle" the laugh and market it.

Perhaps someone could create a product that would control the incessant barking of the family dog or an annoying neighbourhood dog.

Maybe then, we could all get some sleep.