def to_dict(self):
        """
        Convert the object into a json serializable dictionary.

        Note: It uses the private method _save_to_input_dict of the parent.

        :return dict: json serializable dictionary containing the needed information to instantiate the object
        """

        input_dict = super(Gaussian, self)._save_to_input_dict()
        input_dict["class"] = "GPy.likelihoods.Gaussian"
        input_dict["variance"] = self.variance.values.tolist()
        return input_dict