What Does It Mean When Dogs Blink At You

You probably had a scenario in which your dog has just blinked at you. What does it mean when dogs blink at you? Is this an intentional action or something else? Yes, it is intentional and most dogs do this on a regular basis. But, there are a few reasons why they do it so we will have to explain these in detail and help you understand your pet even more.

Why do dogs blink at their owners?

Do you want to know what it means when dogs blink at you? Of course, you do. Well, there are a few reasons why dogs do this and now you will understand all of them. This action can mean that he is mimicking you, that he seeks your attention, or that he wants to show his submission. You will need to analyze the situation and other body behavior in order to tell why your pet did this. 

For example, if his tail is high and his ears are erected your pet wants to say he needs attention. Then it is best to start playing with your dog. This is interesting body language so you will probably want to see it more often. Encouraging your pet to do this more often is a nice and smart thing to do. 

If your pet is keeping his tail between the legs and his ears are not erected it means that he wants to show submission. Keep in mind that dogs will do this when they are telling the same thing to other dogs and it is quite common, especially when outside. 

Some dog owners believe that only happy dogs will blink at them. A sad or a tired dog will never do this. We believe this is true and that happy dogs will blink but also show other clues that they are happy. They can lie on the back, they can erect their ears, and even move their head left or right. A happier dog will blink at you more often. You can almost literally measure how happy he is by looking at his blinking behavior. For you, it means that you are a good owner and he loves you. 

There is another possibility. Dogs may do this in order to show their affection towards you. Blinking can simply mean ‘’I love you’’ or I am happy. If your pet is happy at the moment and satisfied, he may blink at you. Once again, you should encourage this behavior.

You can teach your dog to blink at you

Dogs can be taught countless tricks and there are literally countless courses where professionals can do this instead of you. Most people believe that sit, standing up, fetching and similar commands are the only tricks dogs can learn. But, blinking is another trick that can be taught as well. 

As always you should use a positive encouragement strategy. This means that when a dog does something properly he should be rewarded. In this case, we can see that if he blinks at you, you can give him a reward. A treat is the best reward for dogs and one that is the most effective. Just make sure to use safe and healthy treats due to the fact you will probably have to give him a few of these every single day so you don’t want to use something that can have a negative effect on the health of your dog. 

The training is more complicated than usual. You will need to reward him when he blinks at you first. Then you will have to issue a command such as ‘’blink’’ and then wait for the reaction. If he obeys you, give him a treat. Repeat this as long as needed. Soon, your pet will start blinking at you upon command which is the thing you want. 

How long your particular dog will need to learn this trick cannot be generalized. It depends on the age of your dog, the breed, and whether he is already trained or not. But, this trick is definitely something you can teach your pet and it is not as complicated as it may sound.

Dogs can blink too often due to medical reasons

Try to remember that blinking all the time or better said excessively is not always fun. In some situations, this can be a symptom of various issues. The most common are allergens and irritants that will make your dog blink more than he should. Dirt, pollen and so much more can cause irritation. Dogs typically blink excessively when they have allergies, when they suffer from irritants or when they have a medical condition. 

A medical condition is known as entropion and this is a genetic disorder. It affects the eyelid and it is something you should treat immediately. It usually affects dog breeds such as Chow Chow and others that have short noses. 

If you notice that your pet has been blinking all the time and not when he looks at you, it is a wise idea to take him to a vet. He can diagnose the issue and discover if there is some health problem, irritation, or something else that causes blinking. Most of the issues in this case scenario are treatable and can be cured in a matter of days. But, your vet can and will help you with that. If your pet blinks at you occasionally, there is no need to worry about it.

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The final word

What does it mean when dogs blink at you? As you were able to see it can mean a few things. It is usually a positive behavior and it means that your pet is happy and satisfied. Sadly, in some situations, it can be a symptom of a medical issue, and then you will have to take him to a vet. Last but not least important is the fact you can teach your dog to blink upon command which is nice and looks great.

Also, you can read How To Stop Dog Nail Bleeding Using Simple Remedies.