Dog psychologist reveals the real reason dogs stare at us — and it’s not unconditional love
Dogs are full of unconditional love. While most dog lovers like to believe their pup’s loving stare stems from sheer affection, a dog psychologist has now cleared the misunderstanding. Steve Del Savio, who goes by @packleaderdogs on TikTok, revealed the real reason why dogs often stare at their owners. He established the pet’s point of view and the role of sounds in influencing their actions. The stare is superficial, the expert stated, but there is a whole process of trying to get to know the humans a dog is living with.
“Dogs are experts at studying body language and feeling energy,” said the dog psychologist. When you catch a dog staring at you relentlessly, they are likely studying your movements, behavior, and energy to understand you better. More so, dogs link specific sounds to certain actions, which may seem like they understand human language—they don’t. “Dogs can only understand 165 words,” explained the creator. He advised dog owners to be more conscious of their behaviors and energy around pups, especially when they are paying attention to their owners with stares.
Furthermore, the post’s caption detailed how precisely dogs study the body language of their owners. While this was ruled as the “obvious” stuff, the dog psychologist highlighted that dogs are always present in the moment, unlike humans. They may also study a human’s body language and energy during anxious, angry, and fearful states. “Those energies and the body language associated with them will never allow them to trust you as a leader/parent-figure,” the message read. Owners should not make the mistake of believing that their pet is doing it all in innocence, as studying their behavior allows them to predict how humans may respond to their actions.
For instance, when a dog jumps onto their owner sitting on the couch and the latter allows it to invade their space, the pet recognizes the owner’s leniency. “They study the softer, passive energy and how you allow them to control you,” the post added. “Both these scenarios will not allow the dog to feel protected by their human because they studied and learned how the human is easily controlled and doesn’t have respect for their own space.” The expert noted that this may be a lot to deal with for some owners, but they are grateful to have such a presence that keeps them accountable and living with healthy energy.
@packleaderdogs Have you ever noticed your dog staring at you? I've actually gotten quite a few messages as to why a dog may be staring at their owner throughout the course of a day. Dogs have an incredible ability to adapt to many different situations, probably why they ended up in our homes with us. They are masters at feeling energy and studying body language. They learn quickly how a human moves, what their energy is, and what behaviors are associated with it. For example, when you put on different clothes, a specific pair of shoes, or reach for the leash, they learn quickly, which means they are going for a walk. That's the obvious stuff. What may not be as obvious is when they study your body language and feel your energy if you are in an anxious, fearful, or angry state as well. Those energies and the body languages associated with them will never allow them to trust you as a leader/parent-figure. They also study how you respond when they put pressure on you. The dog who comes over and demands attention/affection and the human gives it. In this case, they study the softer, passive energy and how you allow them to control you. Another scenario is the dog who invades their human space, jumping on them, and climbing on top of them while they are on the couch. Again, they study softer/weaker energy that doesn't have enough respect for its space that the dog can take as it pleases. Both these scenarios will not allow the dog to feel protected by their human because they studied and learned how the human is easily controlled and doesn't have respect for their own space. This may seem like a lot, but dogs live 100% in the moment and are 100% honest. We bring them into our home, and they have nothing else to do but figure out the humans they live with. Many may see this as a lot to deal with, but to me, I'm so grateful to have 100% honest and 100% in the moment animals who keep me accountable to living in a healthy energy based on the nature code. Be aware of your energy and your actions. Your dogs and nature are watching you!👀
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The post with 2,259 likes left an impact on fellow dog owners. @biggirlandherdog confirmed, “This is so true. I let my Collie do what he wanted; he was also very reactive towards dogs. I got a psychologist trainer who showed me how to be a leader, gain respect, and oh my word, he’s like a new dog!” @kneezus_ wrote, “My dog literally watches me drive. It’s so cute, especially when I’m singing.” A report by The Kennel Club stated that, besides reading their owners, a dog may also stare when they need something, are confused, or simply because they love you.
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