Does your dog stare at you when they poop? What's the reason?
Toileting time is a very vulnerable time for your pet.
WHY DOES MY DOG WATCH ME WHEN THEY POOP?
Approximate reading time: 7 minutes
Living with a dog means never ceasing to be surprised. No matter how hard you try to get to know and learn about your pet, new situations always arise that leave you amazed. Dogs have their own instincts and communicative codes, which govern their behaviour. Have you ever been out for a walk with your furry friend and, when it was time to poo, they just stared at you or looked at you out of the corner of their eye? If you're wondering what the reason for this strange habit is, don't worry, you're not the only one, and yes, it has several explanations that we'll tell you about in this article.
Table of contents
1. 5 reasons why your dog won't take their eyes off you while he's pooing
• Wants you to give them a reward
• To reinforce their bond with you
2. What should I do if my dog looks at me while pooing?
5 reasons why your dog won't take their eyes off you while pooing
Knowing exactly what a particular canine behaviour means is complicated, but many studies suggest that the most plausible hypothesis is that the reason for the penetrating stare dogs give their owners when they relieve themselves has to do with the feeling of vulnerability they experience. Because of the forced posture they adopt to defecate and the effort required to do so, pooping time is critical for a dog from the point of view of its instinct. Although nowadays, the park where they usually do their business is not a dangerous place, your dog's DNA carries the information from when their wolf ancestors did it in the wild, on the lookout for predators and other hazards. And this is where their impulse to look you in the eye at this scatological moment comes in. Let's see what reasons your dog really has for making eye contact with you while pooing.
• Seeks your protection
Your dog trusts you, and for them you are their guide and leader. That's why, at a time when they feel so defenceless and is unlikely to be able to react quickly to an attack, they look for your eyes to study your expression and body language, detecting variations that may mean there is imminent danger. Obviously, nothing is going to happen to your furry friend while they are pooing in the street, but their natural instinct is to watch their back in such a compromising situation. By staring at you while pooing, your dog relies on you to alert them if a risky situation arises. In fact, in the wild, wolves have been known to stand guard around a defecating conspecific to protect them from predators. Let's not forget that wolves and dogs are social animals governed by the collective codes of the pack.
• Asks for your permission
When a dog is a puppy and we teach them to do their business in the toilet trainer and, later, in the street, we can make the mistake of scolding them if they make a mistake and poos inside the house. The education of a dog should always be based on a positive approach, rewarding successes, but not punishing mistakes, but ignoring them. However, if during their puppyhood you scolded your dog for doing their business in forbidden places, it is possible that this unconscious memory will lead them to ‘ask your permission’ every time they are about to have a bowel movement. In reality, the dog will not wait for you to give them a signal to poo, but they will fix their eyes on you to detect from your facial expression if the place they have chosen looks good to you.
• To keep an eye on you
Although we are sure that your furry friend trusts you completely, it is possible that in a vulnerable situation such as pooping, certain instinctive mechanisms are activated within them that make them protect themself from danger. In this sense, your dog may watch you while they do their business simply to make sure you don't leave their side or stray too far away. From the point of view of their wild instinct and wolf heritage, being left alone in this situation could be fatal if they were to be stalked by a predator. That's why your dog looks at you when they poop: they want to make sure you're not going anywhere while they concentrate on evacuating.
• Wants you to give them a treat
Some dogs, especially young dogs, may look at their owners when pooing to ask for a reward for choosing an appropriate spot. During puppyhood we teach our pet not to defecate indoors and, if we have done things right, we will have positively reinforced each of his successes with petting, kind words or even treats. Well, your dog has a very, very good memory, and will remember these rewards every time they get ready to do their business. A glance at us at that precise moment could simply mean: ‘hey, don't forget to give me my treat when I'm done, I'm doing great’.
This explanation is more common in young dogs, although your pet may remember this positive reinforcement all their life and ask for it in this polite and uninvasive way. There's no need to keep rewarding your dog for doing their business outside the house once they have learned to do it, but there's nothing wrong with it either, as long as you don't overdo it with snacks or food. Instead, opt for a verbal reward, with words of encouragement such as ‘good boy’, or affectionate rewards such as petting.
• Strengthen their bond with you
Science has shown that eye contact between a dog and its owner activates internal processes in both dog and owner. Experts speak of a physiological bond, as changes occur in the body of the animal and the person, similar to those that occur between humans and children. But why does your dog choose precisely the moment when they poops to connect with you? Possibly it has to do with the sense of vulnerability we have already talked about. In this situation in which your pet feels more unprotected, it is logical that he or she seeks your affection through a deep look. Keep in mind that for your pet there is nothing shameful or scatological about defecating. For them it is as natural a moment as any other. Some dogs are more likely than others to bond with their owners through gazing. The Australian Cobberdog, for example, has a very expressive, almost human-like gaze and loves to look deeply into the eyes of their family members to express their affection and loyalty.
What should I do if my dog looks at me when I poo?
It can be disconcerting and even uncomfortable for a human to maintain eye contact in a situation that is so intimate and scatological for our species. However, bear in mind that these are just social conventions and that, for an animal, pooing has no shameful connotation. So the best thing to do if your dog gives you a deep stare as they bend over to poo, is to return the look. If you hold their gaze, they will feel safe and secure in this unprotected moment. We also recommend avoiding sudden movements or moving too far away, as your pet may feel tense and helpless. Now you know that your dog seems to have good reason to watch you while they poop, so take it naturally and try to show your support and calmness in this daily routine.