Your Dog is Staring at You Intently – What is he Trying to Tell You?

Has your furry friend ever given you that impression of watching you closely, following every move that you make?

One reason or the other, dogs really do stare at their owners more often. So now the question is why do they do so?

There is no single answer, for there can be a variety of reasons why dogs gaze at humans.

But most of the time, it is to communicate, or the dog expects you to respond to it.

Dogs “read” us like an open book

When it comes to animals truly close to humans, dogs are at the very top of the list. No animal species is so well adapted to humans.

Dogs sense our mood, watch our every movement, and try to predict what will happen next. There is often a reason behind such intense staring; the dog is collecting information about his environment.

Put simply, he watches you because soon something is expected to happen that concerns him as well.

They are waiting for a command and a reward

The dog will stare at its owner, awaiting a command. This might be a simple one like “sit” or “give paw,” which for them represents an opportunity to get a treat or a toy.

This is much more common in dogs trained with positive reinforcement — they are always hunting for the next opportunity to be rewarded.

They’re Trying to Communicate with You

Staring at their owners may indicate that the dog wishes to steal their attention, for example, by standing at the door and looking intently at its owner when it is time for a walk. When the dog looks at you while you are eating, it is a clear ask for you to share your meal with it.

In other scenarios, the dog is employing manipulation through his gaze. If the animal looks his owner in the eyes and from past experience gets a treat for it – then he will repeat that behavior infinitely. Should you choose to ignore him long enough, he most probably will abandon the effort.

Expressing Different Emotions

Dogs may gaze to express their feelings — good or bad. Thus, it never pays off to keep staring at somebody else’s dog or to force that dog to look into your eyes.

If your dog is staring at you with intensity, somewhat “freezing” in place, and is oblivious to blinking, it would be best for you to back off and refrain from trying to meet his gaze.

It is a comfortable eye lock for the dog, especially if he is guarding a toy, bone, or favorite treat. The stare would be fused with signals of resource guarding, which might even escalate to aggression.”

Since the idea is to make them have fun, try the dog waterproof rain boots for your pooch.