Yawning is contagious. For example, when we see someone yawn, we might yawn too. Dogs, because they’ve been bred to read human emotions, also yawn when their owner or a loved one yawn.
A study found that when humans see someone yawn, the reflex in their brain is one of empathy. It’s impossible to know if dogs have empathy, but it’s possible that a dog will yawn at the same time as a human because they’ve bonded with them.
The study found that dogs were more likely to yawn when their owner yawned and not a stranger.
