Reasons Why Your Dog Stares at You
You probably catch your pooch starring at your multiple times a day, and most of the time, you’re probably puzzled at the reason why. They may need to go outside and relieve themselves, but sometimes you discover that isn’t the case at all. So we’re going to dive into some of the most reasons that your furry friend might be staring at you.
Fido is Trying to Get Your Attention
Dogs find comfort in patterns, so if they notice that every time they come to you staring, it gets your attention – they’ll latch on to that. Fido might be trying to get your attention because they want you to play with them, give them pets, or take them on a walk. Another possible reason is that you might have forgotten to feed your furry friend dinner.
Your furry friend could also be locking eyes with you to inform you they need your help. Your pooch’s favorite toy could be out of their reach, or maybe their kennel door someone got closed, and so now they’re locked out of their safe space. Whatever the issue you might be, your canine companion might be staring at you to get your help solving a problem they can’t do on their own.
One of the most obvious reasons Fido might be coming up to you and staring is because they need to go outside. While many dogs seem to find that this gets the job done, you could try bell training them. You could teach your pup to ring a bell by a door when they need to go potty, which can help narrow down the reasons you have to guess why your pooch is starring.
It Could Have Something to Do with Training
Fido might be staring at you with training and obedience motives. One reason could be anticipation during a training session if you forgot to reward them with a treat after completing a command. Another reason behind your pup looking at you could be for direction. A well-trained dog that sees you as the alpha of their pack knows that you’re the one calling the shots. So if for some reason your four-legged friend doesn’t know what to do, they’ll look towards their alpha for approval or direction on what they should do next.
Your Pup Could Be Trying to Read Your Emotions
Your dog trying to read your emotions could mean two things. One reason is that they are trying to read your body language as well as your face to understand your feelings currently. Your pooch could be looking to see if an action they just did was good or bad, or maybe they’re noticing that you look sad and want to comfort you.
Another reason your canine companion could be trying to read your emotions is that maybe they’re confused. Obviously, dogs don’t speak English, so sometimes they aren’t quite sure what you want them to do. Locking eyes with you may be Fido’s way of looking for more instructions. Or out of pure curiosity, your little furball might stare at you with a tilt to their head to try and understand what you’re doing.
Is This an Aggressive Stare?
Sometimes your canine might be staring at you to express their feelings – which can be positive or negative. Hopefully, this isn’t the case, but sometimes those stares could be indicators of aggression. If you notice a dog looking at you, isn’t blinking their eyes, ears are pulled back, and their body posture is stiff – then you need to realize those are signs of aggressive behavior. You’ll probably also receive a warning growl. This aggression could be the result of resource guarding, and your pup doesn’t want you to touch their bed, toys, or food. If your dog is displaying these signs, understand that they need to be corrected as soon as possible.
If Fido shows these signs of aggression or even just gives you a hard stare after you touched a specific part of their body, you could have an entirely different problem on your hands. Most likely, they’re feeling pain in that part of their body or, for some reason, they’re feeling extremely anxious. If this is the case, you should schedule an appointment with your dog’s veterinarian ASAP.
Something to remember, though, is that if your pup is showing these signs of aggression, you should not directly stare back at them. Instead, back off and give them their space.
Or is it an Affectionate Stare?
Probably the best reason behind your canine companion starring at you is because they want to express their love for you. If you notice your pooch giving you the eyes in a soft, relaxed manner, then you can probably conclude that they’re trying to display affection towards you.
Returning that affectionate gaze to your pup can actually release the “love hormone,” also known as, oxytocin. This hormone helps both humans and dogs build strong, lasting bonds of trust with one another.
Most of the time, you can rest easy knowing your furry friend’s stare isn’t malicious in any way. It most likely means your canine companion adores you or trusts you to help them with something.