Reasons why your dog looks back at you when walking
Below are a number of possible causes and what would make each of them more likely to be the main cause.
The reason why your dog looks back at you is likely to be that it wants to make sure that you are still with it. This would be more likely if it walks on a long lead or it only looks back at you when it is off the lead.
Another possible cause is that it is looking at you to get direction from you and to see what way you are going. This would be especially likely if it does it when it is just in front of you on a short lead. However, it could still be the cause when it is far ahead of you. It would also be more likely if you often take different routes when you are walking it.
Another possible cause is that it is looking back to make sure that you are ok. This would be more likely if it looks back at you when other people or animals are near you.
Another possible cause is that it wants to go faster. This would be more likely if it looks back at you when it is pulling on the lead.
Below are a number of things to consider when figuring out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.
If your dog did not always look back at you when walking your dog, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it. For example, if it started doing it when you started walking it on a different route, it would be more likely that your dog is looking back at you to see where you are going.
It would also help to consider the timing of when your dog looks back at you since the timing could have something to do with it. For example, if your dog does it when other people are passing you, it would be more likely that your dog does it to make sure you’re ok.
Reasons why your dog looks up at you when walking
Below are a number of possible reasons why your dog has been doing it and what would make each of them more likely.
The reason why it does it might be that it wants to see what you are doing. This would be more likely if it looks up at you when you are talking or doing something such as putting gloves on.
Another possible cause is that it is waiting to see what you will tell it to do. This would be more likely if it does it when you are likely to be about to tell it to do something such as stop at a crossing or to start walking again when stopped.
Another cause could be that it wants something from you. This would be more likely if it tends to look up at you at around the same time that you would normally give it something such as a treat.
Another possible cause could be that you have been pulling on the leash too hard or it’s collar is too high up. This would be more likely if your dog tends to look up at you when the leash is tight and it does not look up when it is loose.
Below are some things to consider when figuring out the main cause.
It would help to consider the timing of when it looks up at you since the timing could have something to do with it. If it does it more at random times, it would be more likely that it does it due to wanting to see what you will tell it to do or wanting something from you. Whereas, if it does it when the leash is tight, it might be because it’s being forced to look up at you due to the tightness.
It would also help to consider the body language it shows when it looks up at you. If it shows signs of being excited, such as wagging its tail, it would be more likely that it does it due to things such as wanting a treat from you. Whereas, if it seems to be stiff, it would be more likely that it is because the leash is too tight or hurting it.
If you are asking the dog to “heel” and “look at me” every minute of every mile of every walk your dog will soon ignore you for better scenery! That isn’t to say that your dog isn’t interested in you, but your dog sees you all the time, does he get to sniff where that kitty just was all the time? Does he get to sniff that particular pine cone all the time?
Teaching your dog to walk close to you is not difficult and it is necessary. Walking close to you is counter-intuitive to any dog’s instinct. Dogs want to run, investigate, sniff and you want them to walk slow and stay 6 inches from your ankle or knee cap. Why is that fun for your dog? It isn’t. So you teach them that they can still have fun and stay close at the same time.
So when you take your dog for a nice walk on the leash, remember that he wants to enjoy it too!
The goal for taking your dog on a nice leisurely walk should be a loose leash and a relaxing time together. You’ll find your dog checking in with you often. Hey, if YOU find something cool on the ground, stop and say “find it! hey, look at that!” YOUR dog will think that YOU are THE coolest! How about planting something to find when he isn’t looking at you? (or better yet, recon the walking path first and plant good stuff to find) Like drop a cookie, for example, or maybe something stinky that you can conceal in a bottle and dump out then say “Hey! LOOK what I found!” WHO would be THE coolest human in the world?
We need to learn to allow our dogs to relax, sniff, enjoy their walk. Sure, there are times when we want our dog’s full attention, and a perfect heel but not all the time! What we really want is a “check in” often. If we relax and we allow our dogs to relax, loose leash walking becomes a breeze, a team game, something you do together with your dog rather than a competition, your dog against you and you against your dog.
Why Is My DOG STARING at Me? (4 Common Reasons)
Q:Sometimes I can sense that my dog is just, like, looking at me, really intensely. Why does my dog stare at me? Is that normal?
A: Yes, they probably just want something from you—a meal, a walk, or maybe a scratch behind the ears—and is waiting for you to notice.
You seem to always feel it. You’ll be half-watching some Netflix series, or writing a semi-polite email to your least-favorite coworker when you have the unshakeable sensation that you’re being watched. And, sure enough, you look over and your dog is sitting there, focusing their attention— and both of their eyeballs—right on you. So what gives?
In short, dogs stare for a number of reasons, but mainly, it’s a way for them to communicate with you.
Dogs use their behavior, like staring, to get the things they want, says dog trainer and animal behaviorist Melanie Cerone, Ph.D., BCBA, CPDT-KA. Things like:
“Dogs stare at us because we, their caregivers, reinforce them for doing so in a variety of ways,” says Cerone.
Basically, our dogs know that if they just look at us, we’ll give them whatever they want. For example, if dogs watch us while we’re eating, we might give them a bite of whatever we’re having. Or if they look at us while we’re working or watching TV, we might be prompted to pet them, talk to them, or take them out for a walk.
“If you think about it, we are the source of all good things for our dogs,” Cerones explains. “They depend on us for all of their food; daily enrichment, such as walks, play, and training; attention, including petting and praise; and comfort when they are fearful or anxious. Staring can serve a communication function for dogs. It’s a way for them to let us know that they need or want one of these good things.”
“Sometimes when our dogs stare at us, it encourages us to provide them with attention, which is also a major reward,” says Aubrey Sperry, CDBC, CPDT-KA, owner and head trainer at Sit Pretty Dog Training in Massachussetts.
That act helps to promote social bonding. “Research has been done that indicates both humans and dogs experience an increase in [the ‘feel good’ hormone] oxytocin after staring into each other’s eyes,” Sperry says.
So it goes something like this: the dog stares, we look back, reward them with our love and affection, the bond between dog and human grows. Rinse and repeat. How sweet?
While dog stares are often loving or solicitous, they can sometimes signify more negative emotions. Staring or holding eye contact may indicate that a dog is fearful, anxious or uncomfortable in some way, Cerone explains.
If a dog is staring at you while guarding their food bowl or a favorite toy, then both Cerone and Sperry say that can be a signal to back off. (This behavior is known as “resource guarding.”)
The same goes for a “hard stare” that accompanies a rigid posture or stiffened tail. “This behavior precedes more intense behaviors such as growling, lunging, and biting,” Sperry adds.
This may be more common with houseguests than the pet parents themselves, since some dogs are wary of strangers. “Typically, I see this with strangers approaching dogs more than with pet dogs at home interacting with their owners,” Sperry says.
Note to self: It’s also not a good idea for us to stare at dogs we don’t know.
“Dogs can perceive direct eye contact from unfamiliar people as a threatening gesture,” Cerone says. “So when meeting a dog for the first time, it’s typically best to avoid making direct eye contact with, staring at, or leaning over the dog, particularly if the dog is fearful or anxious of new people.”