Why aren't dogs tickelish?

How come dogs cannot be tickled?

Sometimes if a dog lies on its back and you rub its belly in the right place, its back leg will kick rapidly and involuntarily until you stop tickling.

I agree. I have seen many dogs that react to something like tickling. I can’t get in their brain but a strong leg “pawing” reflex seems to be good evidence that they can be tickled.

Hm. Do animals other than humans laugh?

Dog’s laughing

OK, maybe not exactly, but:

I have a friend whose dog bares all his teeth in a happy grimace when she hits just the right scratching spot on his jaw.
Doubt that counts as “ticklish” though.

I’ve never seen a dog that doesn’t react to its feet being tickled. Gently tickle the hair in the middle of the pads of a foot. You’ll then see a ticklish dog!

For years we had a dog that was ticklish right up where his hind legs joined into his body (armpits, so to speak). If you rubbed him lightly there, he would make the rapid pawing gestures described by others.