“Laughter is the best medicine and when it comes to pets you can count on daily smiles,” Shannon Gervais, Registered Veterinary Technician, Director of Hospital Integrations at Galaxy Vets told Bored Panda. She was happy to share some insights into goofy dog behavior so pull your seat closer!

“Thinking of dog breeds that are particularly entertaining, the first that comes to mind is my favorite breed of all time — the Labrador retriever! My black lab kept me smiling for over 12 years,” Gervais recounted and added that “Every year for Christmas and his birthday, I would wrap up some kind of toy that squeaked for him, and without fail, he would squeak the toy through the wrapping paper and then continue to unwrap it!” As he aged, this enjoyment for both of them never got old.

Another great example of dogs that love to have fun are terriers, Gervais argues. “There is an entire list of terriers that are so entertaining: border terriers, Jack Russell terriers, West Highland white terriers, just to name a few. They are notorious for their crazy antics. Throwing their toy up into the air and playing catch with it when their owners are 'not watching' brings on one huge smile when you see them doing it.”

According to Gervais, some of the most common goofy behaviors of dogs involve the typical “‘chasing their tail’, ‘rolling around on the ground’, and ‘kicking when they are scratched’.” Moreover, chasing their tail is by far the most popular with the kids, and you can see more children entertained with this one than any other goofy antics that dogs do, she added.

Having been in vet medicine for years, Gervais said that there are indeed cases when some of the comical behaviors our dogs are displaying are often attributed to behavior that needs attention. “Let’s take the example of the all-time classic ‘chasing their tail.’ As hilarious as it may seem, upon further investigation it may be a sign that your pup is not actually trying to entertain you after all. They may have an obsessive behavioral disorder that needs some veterinary attention,” the veterinary technician explained.

“Another example is good old ‘butt dragging’ — always good for a laugh. But what is really ‘behind’ that funny behavior? You may be surprised to find out that your pooch may need a trip to see the veterinarian about that one too! Parasites and anal gland issues are the first things that come to mind when I see that one,” she warned.

When asked why in her opinion the internet likes funny dogs that much, Gervais said: “If you google ‘man’s best friend’ the first thing that pops up is a Wikipedia explanation of how this phrase describes the relationship between humans and dogs. There is no question that pets of all species hold a special place in our hearts, but dogs have been leading that role since before the 19th century. It is not surprising that people search for funny dog jokes/videos or anything dog-related to laugh at.”

“Whether your furry friend is video-worthy and posting to TikTok or you keep the entertainment to yourself, there is one thing that I know for sure — the best medicine is laughter. We should thank all the dogs out there for always providing genuine smiles and chuckles to all of us dog-loving enthusiasts,” Gervais concluded.