Rewards Are Expected
Our pups love praise. When they are outside or on a walk, telling them how great they are for going potty in the proper area is like second nature for dog owners. To our pups, it’s something they thrive on. Dogs love positive reinforcement. This makes them try harder to please us. When they lock eyes with you while using the bathroom, they may be waiting to hear your voice praise them for what they’ve done. To keep your dog feeling like they’ve accomplished something when they are using the bathroom, always tell them what a good job they’ve done.
If you’re a pet owner who rewards your pet with treats when you go back inside from a potty break, your pet will get used to this action. Considering our pups love treats and don’t understand how unusual their stares may be, this becomes their routine. You’ll simply need to get used to the looks you receive.
“If a dog should stare at its owner when relieving itself, he is most likely checking for approval to be sure that he is using the correct location,” Nick Jones, dog behaviorist and trainer with Alpha Dog Behaviour in London, told The Dodo. “Perhaps if an owner had previously scolded their dog for pooping in the wrong area, this could cause anxiety in the dog as a result.”
Madeline Friedman, dog behavior expert and trainer with Innovative Dog Training, says dogs might be hoping for a reward for doing their business outside (you know, instead of inside).
So, basically, if your dog makes prolonged eye contact with you, it could be because she thinks of you as her mom.
There you are, on a casual walk with your dog. She sniffs some grass, turns around in circles and then pops a squat. Its poop time.
If youre a dog owner, chances are youve experienced this intense stare-down. And even though those puppy dog eyes can be super endearing and captivating, its still … weird. Its not like we humans are that irresistible to look at.
So one day, after a particularly intense poop-staredown with the lil’ guy, I whipped out my phone and started googling. And as it turns out, those long looks are just another example of ~EVOLUTION~ at work!
Why Does My Dog Look at Me When They Poop?
Humans are often bothered when their dog stares at them while pooping. Yet, in a dog’s mind, staring while pooping is natural.
I thought my days of talking about poop ended once my sons matured and got past bathroom-themed jokes. Since we’ve had numerous clients question this behavior, we thought why not write a blog about pooping.