Actually, they are – well, sort of. There are two types of ‘tickling’ – knismesis and gargalesis – named by two psychologists way back in 1897. Knismesis is a very light touch, like a feather across your skin or an ant walking on your arm, which causes a physical sensation.
The reaction may be getting goose bumps or becoming itchy, with an urge to scratch. If you touch your dog gently, you may notice that his leg twitches and he reacts to your touch. Some dogs enjoy this and will roll over to encourage you to keep going. Others may retreat or snap, an obvious sign that they don’t enjoy it. Follow your dog’s lead.
Gargalesis is a much firmer pressure on sensitive spots that make us humans laugh out loud, squirm and try to get away. This reaction to tickling is also found in other primates and documented in rats.
