What on earth is your dog thinking when it sneaks a peek at you for some reason? In this article, I would like to explain the feelings and reasons why dogs peek at their owners.
1. I Want to Convey My Feelings
When a dog peeks at its owner, it may be trying to convey its feelings.
When a dog looks back at its owner with sparkling eyes while walking or playing, it may be trying to convey feelings such as “It’s fun!” or “Let’s play more!”
Sometimes they are trying to convey their intentions by saying, “Let’s go that way” or “Let’s do that,” but sometimes they are just trying to share their happy or enjoyable feelings by simply making eye contact. Probably.
Dogs are descended from animals that originally lived in pack societies, so they have naturally learned to live their lives while checking and communicating with their family and friends. For this reason, I think that when people have concerns or emotions in their lives, they try to convey them to their family and friends who are close to them.
If your dog seems happy and makes eye contact, smile and say things like “It’s fun” or “It’s a nice day.” I think dogs feel mentally satisfied when they feel like they can share their feelings.
In addition, when the dog has a request, such as “I want food” or “I want to go for a walk,” I sometimes look at the owner’s expression. If you are not aware of the feelings behind these gestures, it is not uncommon for your dog to develop demanding behaviors such as barking or jumping.
2. Asking for permission
If your dog wanders around looking at you or glances at you before doing something, it may be asking for permission to act.
You tend to see these things when you are playing or taking a walk, such as “Can I play with your toys?” “Can I run around?” “I want to go there.”
If your dog looks restless while glancing at your owner’s face, consider that it might be something he wants to do.
3. Feeling worried and anxious
When a dog is feeling anxious or has something to worry about, they may start to peek at their owners.
When I go to a new place and don’t know how to behave, or when I hear noises from outside and feel anxious, I look at the owner and try to judge whether the situation is safe or not.
At this time, if the owner also looks anxious, the dog will think, “This is a scary situation after all!” and feel even more anxious. If your dog looks at you anxiously, stay calm and calmly say, “Don’t worry.”
4. Listening to the owner’s mood
Dogs can read emotions from people’s facial expressions, small gestures, and tone of voice. Therefore, they sometimes peek into their owners’ faces to see how they are feeling.
It is not uncommon for dogs who are sensitive to human emotions to avoid approaching their owners when they are irritated, or to approach when their owners seem happy.
They may also glance at their owner’s face when they are nervous about being scolded for their mischief.
summary
Looking and making eye contact are important ways for dogs to communicate. This behavior is used not only to convey their intentions and requests but also to share their feelings with their owners. When your dog peeks at you, take a comprehensive look at their expressions and the situation, think about the reason, and respond accordingly.
