Yawning is contagious, that much we know. A new study has shown that yawning is contagious to man's best friend:
Yawn next to your dog, and she may do the same. Though it seems simple, this contagious behavior is actually quite remarkable: Only a few animals do it, and only dogs cross the species barrier. Now a new study finds that dogs yawn even when they only hear the sound of us yawning, the strongest evidence yet that canines may be able to empathize with us.
Yawn next to a cat, on the other hand, and she'll look at you like you're a crazy. That much I know. Link (Photo: Shutterstock)
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AFAIK, yawning is contagious to all mammals that do yawn.
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Actually, yawning in dogs can have several meanings. It could just be a yawn, but it's also dog speak for "Is everything OK?". If a dog does a quick yawn in his or her pack, a yawn response from another (dog or human) means "Yup, It's cool." Our Rottie rescue is rather insecure and does the quick yawn often. I just quick yawn back and pet her and she’s good to go.
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/me yawns.
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