Expert shares two main reasons your dog stares at you - and when to give them space

Dogs spend a great deal of time staring at humans - and it leads many of us to question why.

Canine behaviourist and trainer, Adem Fehmi, from Barking Heads, explains that there could be a number of reasons why your pet refuses to take their eyes off you.

He told The Mirror : "Dogs can stare for several reasons, ranging from wanting something such as food, affection or even to be taken for a walk or to play."

Adem breaks down a dog's stare into two main categories - the longing stare and the warning stare - with one indicating your pet wants something and the other signalling they need to be left alone.

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Often they want something from you such as food or affection (Getty Images)

The longing stare

All dogs owners will recognise this type of stare - it's the look you get when you're eating a delicious meal and your pet really wants a bite, or when they are super eager to go on a walk.

Adem said: "In this scenario, they are often quite physically close to the human they are instigating affection, food or play from and have a 'longing' type of stare, and a stare that is familiar to their main carers.

"Their tail may also be wagging and some may communicate vocally too."

The warning stare

"Dogs can also stare as way of letting you know not to approach them or as a way to communicate that they are anxious or fearful - in which case it would be best not to approach them," Adem explained.

"In these contexts, the stare can be either directly face on or sometimes the stare can come from a sideward angle.

"It can often be accompanied by more tensed body language and the whites of their eyes may be visible, often referred to as 'whale eye'."

Your dog could be communicating that they just need some space (Getty Images)

Adem emphasises that is important for anyone interacting with a dog to read their body language before advancing towards and trying to touch them - "especially if the dog is unknown to the person or perhaps has shown warning signs before of not wanting to be approached or touched".

He added: "Whilst many stares may be affection instigating, a stare in the wrong context that is not heeded could escalate sadly, into a more aggressive response."

Do you have a dog story to tell? Contact nia.dalton@reachplc.com.