How does my dog know to look at my face?

[StepBangin]

Serious question.

Im just sitting here on the computer and the dog is staring at me because she wants to go outside.

It got me thinking, how does she know to look at my face when she wants something or when she is just looking at me for no reason? Why doesnt she stare at my knee caps or my back?

Is it because the sound comes from my face so its just natural to look there?

[foal]

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Is it because the sound comes from my face so its just natural to look there?

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I think you're underestimating the intelligence of dogs.

[StepBangin]

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Is it because the sound comes from my face so its just natural to look there?

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I think you're underestimating the intelligence of dogs.

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I understand that dogs are really smart. That doesnt explain why they know to look at my face.

[luckyme]

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Is it because the sound comes from my face so its just natural to look there?

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I think you're underestimating the intelligence of dogs.

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or vice versa.

luckyme

[MoP_86]

where do you look at when you look at your dog?

[StepBangin]

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where do you look at when you look at your dog?

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Is this relevant at all?

[MoP_86]

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where do you look at when you look at your dog?

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Is this relevant at all?

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Are you serious?

Look, what humans share in common with dogs is our eyes. You as a human being are intelligent enough to look into it's eyes to gather information about the dog. The dog is intelligent enough to do this as well.

[Siegmund]

The dog is going to look at wherever it can find the most information about your intentions. If you are walking across the room and walk past the spot where the leash is hanging, the dog will be watching to see if you grab it. If you are sitting, it will be watching to see if you are paying attention to it, or to get clues as to what sort of mood you are in. Most of those clues are easier to find on your face than anywhere else, unless you are moving.

[Lestat]

I'm not gonna slam ya, cuz I think of silly stuff like this all the time.

The answer I believe, is that dogs are capable of communication and they understand (on a very basic level), that your face is the source of communication. Other animals know this as well. Cats for sure do. I once came upon a raccoon and it looked me directly in the eye. So I'd imagine it has as much to do with the eyes as where sound comes from when we speak.

But I admit I don't know for sure, and that the answer might be more interesting than those flaming this question may realize.

[AWoodside]

Dogs and people co-evolved, they share lots of interesting mixed behaviors.

[Lestat]

What about lions? I suppose in a sense, we've co-evolved with them too and many other animals. I'm not sure this explains it though. Many animals have an affinity for looking into the eyes of another animal. Some view this as a sign of aggression. I forget which animal it is, but upon encountering it, the last thing you want to do is look it in the eye for this will cause it to attack.

[thylacine]

Your cat has been secretly training your dog.

[mbillie1]

I also wonder this about my cat

[kerowo]

Maybe it's a mammal thing.

[foal]

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I forget which animal it is, but upon encountering it, the last thing you want to do is look it in the eye for this will cause it to attack.

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I'm going to guess that it tends to be prey rather than a predator? I think prey animals tend to be more averse to being starred at in the face. I know I've heard of some bird species that definitely don't like this.

[Lestat]

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I forget which animal it is, but upon encountering it, the last thing you want to do is look it in the eye for this will cause it to attack.

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I'm going to guess that it tends to be prey rather than a predator? I think prey animals tend to be more averse to being starred at in the face. I know I've heard of some bird species that definitely don't like this.

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I don't think so. I thought I heard bears were like this, and I'm pretty sure some apes are as well. If ya think about it, humans are like this. If you turn to see a stranger looking you in the eye, I don't know about you, but my first reaction is, "wtf you looking at?". In other words, it's kind of a sign of aggression unless immediately accompanied by some other signal which is non-threatening.

[foal]

True. Our ancestors were prey though, no? Like Australopithicus(sp?) Probably unrelated, but I know a lot of birds will feel threatened if you get close and stare at them, while dogs and cats generally don't care. I think with humans and apes it's more a social hierarchy thing.

[foal]

Oh yeah, I just remembered Gorillas really don't like eye contact. They don't even like looking at themselves in the mirror. Orangutans and Chimps aren't nearly as bothered by it afaik.

[kevin017]

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I forget which animal it is, but upon encountering it, the last thing you want to do is look it in the eye for this will cause it to attack.

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I'm going to guess that it tends to be prey rather than a predator? I think prey animals tend to be more averse to being starred at in the face. I know I've heard of some bird species that definitely don't like this.

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I don't think so. I thought I heard bears were like this, and I'm pretty sure some apes are as well. If ya think about it, humans are like this. If you turn to see a stranger looking you in the eye, I don't know about you, but my first reaction is, "wtf you looking at?". In other words, it's kind of a sign of aggression unless immediately accompanied by some other signal which is non-threatening.

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animals view this as a sign of aggression or dominance. i've heard it most often about bear encounters, never stare at them because they'll think you're challenging them and eat you. It also happens with dogs. You can teach dogs to be aggressive by getting in staring contests and looking away before they do.

i think people underestimate how much of what we do is hard wired in genes that go back way further than humans.

[tame_deuces]

Facial recognition seems like a good adaptive trait, so having it probably means you survive easier and pass along your genes easier. As for why it looks at your face, most mammals share some facial and social similarities.

Why you look at its face, as someone said earlier, is actually just as good a question.

[Nielsio]

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where do you look at when you look at your dog?

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Is this relevant at all?

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Learch about humans and animal evolution from some documentaries like from David Attenborough and Susan Greenfield, because you don't have a clue.

[ALawPoker]

Dogs greet face to face. That's a handshake in their culture. That's why they like to jump on people. He's trying to get to your face to say hi. (So incidentally, a good habit to get into is to lower yourself to him when you come home, if you don't like him jumping on people.)

Why is this their greeting? I would guess that it's just a basic reflection of dogs' relative lack of sophistication. They naturally form this behavior, because it's inherently reciprocal.

Dogs communicate well with each other, mostly through body language, and rely on communication to hunt. So it seems natural that they learn to ascribe importance to the eye area, since their form of communication will rely upon them looking at each other. Since the exchange is reciprocal, it just seems naturally efficient that they would learn to fixate on each other's face rather than any other part of the body. (If you're looking at his chest, you don't know when exactly he stops looking at/communicating with you.)

I'm not an expert on this stuff, but that's my basic assumption for why they evolve that instinct.

[soon2bepro]

big baloons with a painted eye on it are used to scare off birds.

Animals are not as stupid as you think.

For example, dogs can get quite agitated if a stranger stares them in the eyes.

[soon2bepro]

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Look, what humans share in common with dogs is our eyes.

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Um, this is off-topic, but we share in common a hell of a lot more than just our eyes...

[foal]

an example of bird intelligence: http://youtube.com/watch?v=03ykewnc0oE

[Nielsio]

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Look, what humans share in common with dogs is our eyes.

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Um, this is off-topic, but we share in common a hell of a lot more than just our eyes...

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I thought it was just the eyes.

[gtpitch]

LOL OP quit looking at your dog and get back to pokering IMO

[MoP_86]

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Look, what humans share in common with dogs is our eyes.

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Um, this is off-topic, but we share in common a hell of a lot more than just our eyes...

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Yes, but the eyes are the only thing we share in common with dogs that they are intelligent enough to comprehend. For example our brain and organs all function in a similar manner. But the dog doesn't know that it can rest its paw on our chest to see how fast our heart is beating, yet if you wanted you could do this to your dog.

[foal]

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Yes, but the eyes are the only thing we share in common with dogs that they are intelligent enough to comprehend

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They know that we can walk. They know that we can play. There's plenty of others things as well, but I'll stop at two counter examples for simplicity's sake.

[CieloAzor]

pretty sure they know enough to feel your heartbeat

I think dogs are still being underestimated quite severely.

[MoP_86]

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pretty sure they know enough to feel your heartbeat

I think dogs are still being underestimated quite severely.

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So you're saying if your dog wanted to see if you were scared, fatigued, or on drugs he would have the know how to rest his paw on your chest and interpret this information?