London ? If you’re yawning, chances are your dog is about to do the same thing.

A study published in the journal Biology Letters this week found that human yawns are contagious to dogs, a sign that man’s best friend might be capable of a rudimentary form of empathy.

To scientists, dogs have been a puzzle. Dogs are adept at reading human intentions and excel over other animals in picking up human hand gestures and other behavioral cues. At the same time, though, they appear to lack a sense of self, considered a prerequisite for understanding the feelings of others.

Unlike chimpanzees and possibly elephants and dolphins, dogs do not recognize themselves in a mirror, a classic test of self-awareness.