Our Super Power

If you are an avid reader of my blog, you will see that oftentimes I use the phrase “Boo Boo Eyes”. Many of you have written in to ask, “What exactly do I mean by that?'“ Well my friends that is a dog’s super power - our secret weapon. It is the look that makes you give us a treat. Or the look that will give us those extra belly rubs or can stop you in your tracks to go “Awww!” You know the look - it goes like this:

We dogs communicate with our eyes. While direct eye contact with another dog can be perceived as a threat and the establishment of a pack leader, when we stare at our human we normally just want you to play with us. But remember we reserve that loving stare for our humans not some stranger.

Now in this picture, you may think that I am sleeping, but in actuality I am watching everything that is going on. More than likely I am on alert waiting for you to open that potato chip bag or planning to ambush my fellow housemate. I am lulling you into a false sense of security that I am asleep - but I am just biding my time.

Now here I am giving you the side eye - which is different than whale eye. Here I am just being coy, trying to entice you to play with me but without being overly pushy. Whale eye, where the whites of my eyes appear in a half moon shape would signal anxiety, discomfort and even fear. When you see us exhibiting whale eyes we are giving you the signal to help us get out of that situation. Once when I was making a therapy dog visit, a man tried to pet me with his cane. I turned to my Mom and gave her my whale eyes and she removed me from that situation quickly. That is why she deserves this look.

Be sure that you are the human that deserves this kind of look every day.