Have you ever wondered if dogs do puppy eyes on purpose?
We all know the infamous puppy eyes and how they can be used against us easily. But they are something that humans have ended up teaching them over the years.
After all, dogs are known as man’s best friend, but it couldn’t have been that way all the time since wolves had to get domesticated and accustomed to humans along the way slowly.
Somewhere along the way, they have also started to develop certain ways to communicate with their owners.
While we think about things like puppy eyes as a guilt trip moment, dogs actually use them to communicate, and it is just one of the habits they have picked up in order to manage to upkeep the mutually beneficial, loving, and beneficial relationship with humans!
To see how they communicate with us and what they all mean, we have picked the most common ways in which dogs communicate with us (yes, including the puppy eyes) and analyze them so that we can all get closer to understanding our furry best friends!
Curious? Let’s dive right in!
Do you usually fall for puppy eyes? Does your pup often do it with you? Share your answers in the comments!
Puppy Eyes
If there is one thing that humans find impossible to resist, it is “puppy eyes,” and it seems like our companions are also aware of it. And the fun fact about it all is that it has not always been like this.
Over centuries of being domesticated, dogs have developed some special muscles around their eye region so that they can make this adorable, irresistible, innocent expression.
It has not always been that dogs managed to raise their eyebrow area up and inwards in order to look like that. The movement makes their eyes appear bigger and gives them an infant-like look that ends up appealing to humans’ nurturing instincts.
While some may think that this evolution process happened because dogs want to be able to get treats and attention—a sort of guilt-tripping move—it is actually a way for the dogs to bond with you and a way of communication.
They use those large muscles not only when it comes to making puppy eyes but also in order to communicate with their owners and other humans; the muscle moves and exposes the white of the dog’s eyes, which makes them appear more “human” and expressive to us.
This is a special way of communication they have adopted for us since wolves do not have these muscles.
Understanding Humans
Puppy eyes are not the only thing that dogs have evolved to be able to communicate with people; their most remarkable ability is actually being able to understand humans, along with their intentions and emotions!
Over time, dogs’ brains have managed to evolve so they can understand and interpret even the subtle cues that people give them. This includes the like of gestures. facial expression and tone of voice, which leads them to respond accordingly to how they perceive you.
It is truly remarkable how they have managed to do this and show so much empathy for humans when it is something a lot of people struggle with!
Pets, like dogs, end up sensing when a person is excited, anxious, or sad, and they end up adjusting their behavior toward it accordingly. Dogs have also gotten to the point where they understand and relate to actions they have been thought of.
Sure, most dogs can be trained, but recent studies have shown that dogs end up understanding more of the human language than the commands they have been taught!
In the study, researchers presented dogs with objects and words that both matched and didn’t, and they noticed that the pups’ brains expected the correct object and word to match, much like how the human brain works.
While it is hard to say how much they understand from what we tell them, dogs are intelligent and have managed to understand enough to become the perfect companions for humans!
Barking
Barking has become synonymous with annoying in the last couple decades; however, it is an important part of how dogs communicate with humans. If anything, it is believed to have developed as a response to the dog wanting and needing to communicate with its owners!
Wolves can bark, yet they are way more prone to howling, which means that you will rarely hear a wolf bark. Yet with time, as the canine got more domesticated, they managed to refine the bark, and it has reached an almost occult range (if you have a husky, you know that very well).
A dog’s bark can mean anything from excitement to see you to announcing a coming danger to just simply needing your attention!
Not to mention, scientists have discovered that dogs seem to understand that this way of communication can be symbiotic; just as they respond to our cues, training, and signals, so do certain people.
Research has shown that several people, despite their level of experience or exposure to dogs, have managed to listen and interpret a series of different barks correctly!
People are now able to accurately identify the emotions behind each bark, such as happiness, aggression, or fear, based on factors like pitch and timing.
And while it is a rudimentary way of communicating, the fact that this evolutionary feat is impressive nonetheless and something to celebrate.
Maintaining eye contact
Let’s be honest, it is not only the puppy eyes that draw us all in to a pup’s sweet face! Dogs are known to stare right at people, and most pets are going to love to gaze straight into your eyes on any occasion.
Studies have shown that this type of soulful eye contact is beneficial for both species as it facilitates the release of oxytocin, the happiness hormone.
The fact that this type of gazing ends up making both the owner and the pup so happy is a great thing, and it also makes the pair bond more; in reality, it is similar to the way in which mother and newborn infants end up bonding too!
While other animals end up interpreting direct and prolonged eye contact as a threat, dogs that are kept by people end up using direct and maintained eye contact as a way to earn their human’s devotion.
What’s more, this type of communication through gazes can also become effective in training if your dog is quick to pick up on your commands and emotions!
Playing with their humans
While it is something that pups end up doing anyway, and no matter if your dog is a couple months or a couple years old, they are going to love to play with you!
However, this play time also has the job of being used to bond with humans, and it has been discovered that it is part of what dogs have evolved to do over the years to maintain the connection with their owners.
Playfullness is seen as a juvenile trait that most animals lose over the years, especially in their adulthood, but dogs end up maintaining this quality; this is due to the fact that upkeeping this playful nature gave them better chances to bond with a human and, by extension, receive food and care in the long run.
Not only is playing and running around with your dog a good thing in terms of their rest and physical well-being, but it also creates and reinforces social bonds, gives dogs practice when it comes to cooperative behaviors, and provides the needed mental stimulation for the animal.
Yet, it is not just something they have evolved to do and use as a communication method; it is also beneficial for us as owners too.
This type of play releases the endorphins, and it aids the bond we have with our furry friend.
If you want to dive deeper into understanding your relationship with your dog and how everything works, we recommend you read this book by Jean Donaldson!
There are a lot of habits that our pets have picked up in order to get to communicate with us, and these are just some of them! However, if you are used to seeing your pup or cat do certain things and they suddenly change their behaviors, they could be a sign of trouble! Here are all the behavior changes you need to be addressed as soon as possible!
