my dog keeps turning away when i try to look her in the eye
2007-12-21 19:54:48 · 23 answers · asked by maddee67 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
She's submitting to you. To look you straight in the eye would be a challange. Also some dogs find it distressing if you look them straight in the eye as they feel you are being agressive/challanging towards them so please don't do it if it upsets your dog and she's being good.
It also depends on the rest of your face when you look them in the eye - if you are doing a cold stare it's agressive, if you look happy and are talking nicely to them some dogs have learnt that their humans don't mean this as a challange but just part of social interaction.
2007-12-21 20:08:05 · answer #1 · answered by Lysal 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
When dogs are in packs theres the leader and the others. When the other dogs do not hold the leaders eye contact they are submisive. It's like saying "you're the boss, I don't want to fight." It's not a bad thing. My dog does that to me as well. Usually when another dog rivals the leader and theres eye contact and hackles raised there's going to be a fight. So your dog looking away is a good thing.
If you want to know more about dog behaviour and body language there's this site I found: http://www.wagntrain.com/BodyLanguage.htm
2007-12-22 04:00:44 · answer #2 · answered by 'Mojo' 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You looking her in the eyes is the first offer of a challenge or an establishment of your dominance over her. By not looking you in the eyes in return, she is telling you that she is not making a counter-challenge and you are the dominant one. If when you do this your dog yawns or licks her lips, she is giving you calming signals because you are being forward and she wants to calm you down because you are not understanding that by turning away from you she is not taking the challenge. By arbitrarily and repeatedly doing that you are being rude and pushy for no real reason. Now you don't want to be rude and pushy to your loyal friend for no real reason, do you? LOL, what must our pets think of us?
2007-12-22 04:37:27 · answer #3 · answered by chiropteragirrrl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its a good thing, it means that you are the boss and they don't want to challenge you. Having said that, don't try to stare down an aggresive dog or a strange dog because dogs do regard it as a challenge, they will either look away or take up the challenge, which will result in aggresion.
2007-12-22 04:29:51 · answer #4 · answered by jukette 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are a LOT of reasons - the submission issue is one of them. I have a dog, border collie, who is really smart and is definitely submissive to me. He won't look me in the face, he won't look anybody in the face - because when he was little, people blew in his eyes when he'd look at them. Could be the same thing happened to your dog. There are a lot of possible explanations but I wouldn't worry about it. If you and your dog are close, and it is the submission problem, eventually she will come around. Merry Christmas.
2007-12-22 07:05:30 · answer #5 · answered by The Dog Shouter (Whisperer?) 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all, It's respect from your dog. You are in charge and she knows it..however, looking a dog in the eye is considered by a dog to be an invitation of aggression. It's a trust issue and I have to tell you,my girl always looks into my eyes, and I love the look she gives me. I know how to read dogs, and I always watch the eyes.
2007-12-22 06:39:00 · answer #6 · answered by johnsonspond@verizon.net 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Afte reading some of the answers you received I am worried .My dog look me straight in the eye. I think she knows who's the boss
2007-12-22 04:05:26 · answer #7 · answered by Mar 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i agree with the answers that it is a sign of submission,my dog did this when she was a few weeks old,but as she got older she she saw i treaed her well (spoiled her infact!) and that she was loved and a fundermental part of our family,she will now lay in my arms like a baby and look into my eyes,mouth open,smiling.As your dog is looking away though,it probably feels threated so rather than make it feel uncomfortable,id stop it for a while.
2007-12-22 04:30:20 · answer #8 · answered by natalie g 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In dog language, looking another dog directly into they eyes, it's a threat. Only the dominant dog will do it. Pet dogs are usually not the dominant dog, so they will rarely look into their human's eyes. When you try to look into your dog's eyes, you are actually threatening her and by averting her eyes, she is showing you that she knows you're the boss. So quit trying to look into your dog's eyes, she'll end up paranoid.
2007-12-22 04:02:40 · answer #9 · answered by Andrea H 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Well, it's a good sign really; it means that she has accepted you as her pack leader (boss). Dogs are by nature pack animals and are happiest when they know their place in the pack. By submitting to you (i.e. not looking you in the eye), your dog is realising that you are above her in the pack - that's a good thing.
2007-12-22 05:54:33 · answer #10 · answered by spanner the stig 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋