Why Does My Dog Stare At Me?

Do you ever catch your dog staring at you? You probably wish your dog could talk so they could just tell you what they're thinking. Your dog, too, wishes they had more ways to communicate with you. Now, you can learn to decipher what your dog wants when they stare at you by looking at some context clues.

Is Your Dog Begging For Food?
Your dog might stare at you when they're hungry, or when they just want a taste of your snack. If you find this behavior to be annoying, you can stop begging by having your dog relax in their crate during your family's mealtimes.
Often, dogs beg from those who have given them scraps in the past. If you simply avoid giving your dog tidbits at the table, they're likely to stop begging without any additional training.

Does Your Dog Know Your Routine?
Dogs have been observed to tell time, though researchers are not sure how they do it. They may be able to predict what time you'll come home from work based on the way the intensity of your scent has faded in the hours since you left. They might also detect other environmental cues such as changes in air pressure, light, and temperature, along with the daily habits of their owners.
Maybe your dog stares at you because they know it's close to dinnertime based on how hungry they are. Or, maybe they know you'll be leaving home soon because they saw you put your shoes on.

Does Your Dog Need To Go Outside?
If it's been a few hours since you last let your dog out, they might be staring at you because they need to go outside.
But if your dog stares at you whether they want to eat, play, or go outside, how can you possibly know what they want?
You can teach your dog to "talk" to you by training them to give you a special signal for each of their needs. To go outside, you can teach your dog to ring potty bells. To play, you can teach your dog to bring you a toy. You can even teach your dog to signal when they're hungry by pawing at their food bowl.

Has Your Dog Had Any Enrichment Today?
There is a good chance that your dog stares at you when they want attention, especially if they're bored. This can be such a guilt-trip on busy days when you can't take your dog to the park, or when it's too cold to play outside.
However, you can squeeze in a quick training session for as little as ten minutes. This can be as simple as working on basic commands, a short game of hide-and-seek, or even just filling a Kong with canned food for an enriching treat.