Have you felt your dog staring at you as if they were vigilant of every move you make? Maybe your dog is looking at you while chewing its toy bone, or you’re both sitting and gazing into each other’s eyes.
Regardless of the case, dogs spend plenty of time staring at people. If the same happens to you, you might be asking yourself, “why does my dog stare at me?” Dogs have many reasons, and there isn’t an answer that conveniently fits every one of them. Here are some reasons your dog may be staring at you:
Interpreting Your Actions
As the man’s best friend, dogs are more synchronized with humans than any other animal. They can follow your gestures, sense your mood, and read you to infer what may happen next. When they stare at us, they are trying to understand the environment. In other words, they’re waiting for us to do something that affects them.
For example, the first thing that many dogs learn to pick up on is that you’re taking them for a walk when you pick up the leash. Because of that, they stay constantly alert for that action. It’s the same for play sessions, mealtimes, and more.
Dogs may also wait for a more specific prompt from the owner. If you’ve trained your dog to do things on command, they may be looking for the opportunity to earn a reward as they love playing around or getting a treat.
Trying to Communicate
Another reason why dogs stare at you is to get your attention or let you know something. If your dog feels the need to take care of its necessities, it might gaze at you from your house’s door. When your dog is hungry, they might lie down in the kitchen or stare at you while you’re eating your meal.
Staring is also a way for dogs to manipulate their owners to get what they want. For example, your dog might stare at you while eating to get you to give them a tasty bite of your meal. Remember that you can expect your dog to try it repeatedly when you give in to its plea.
Express Emotions
Your dog’s stare can express both positive and negative emotions. It’s essential to avoid looking down at other dog’s eyes as wolf ancestors used staring as a challenge, and some dogs still have that attitude. When a dog looks at you without blinking and with a stiff posture, you should back away while avoiding meeting its eyes.
On the other hand, a dog might simply stare at you as a form of affection. Just like people may look at the eyes of someone dear to them, dogs can stare at you to express love and care.
A Stare Full of Love
Dogs spend most of the time looking at you with a gaze filled with adoration and attention. Occasionally, they might be trying to communicate a specific need or be waiting for you to make an action. As they never seem to take their eyes off from you, you can take that into an advantage by being aware of the signals you send to your dog to train your canine friend correctly.
