Have you ever wondered why your dachshund stares at your constantly? It is a funny feeling when you realize that you are being watched, especially while you eat, brush your teeth, or when you are sitting and reading. Even though it’s more disconcerting to be stared at by another person, it is still very odd to be stared at by your pup.
There are a lot of reasons why your dog stares at you so let’s discuss them briefly below so the next time, you won’t wonder.
The Dog Wants Something
A lot of times, your dog will stare at you when he wants something. He may want a treat or a pat. Staring is also a sign that he wants to go outside. A dog will quickly learn that staring is a good way to ask for what they want. They learned this likely because you responded to their staring by eventually providing what they wanted. Many dog owners agree that it is a better way of asking for things than barking, biting or digging.
The Dog May Be Confused
Dogs also stare during their training, particularly with a cute tilted head and a little confused expression. The dog may be trying to find out what you want as much as you are wondering what the dog wants. Things sure would be a lot easier if we spoke the same language.
When you find your dog staring at you, particularly when you have asked him to do something, it might be time to backtrack the training a little bit. You need to find a way to communicate more clearly with your dachshund. You might also need to find new strategies for training him. Dogs are not willfully disobedient; they are simply confused.
The Dog May Be Tense
This is a completely different type of dog stare. Sometimes, it can even result in biting; you will know if your dog stares hard beforehand. It may last for a split second only or may go on for several minutes. It is one of the several warnings of a dog bite. Some dogs also avert their gaze before they bite someone. When you are petting a dog or going for a toy, food, bed or cage and the dog turns and stares right at you, you need to back off. It takes a lot of practice to differentiate between what is known by animal behaviorists as a hard stare and simply a longing look for treats.
You need to give your dog some space if the stare accompanies a stiff tail, closed mouth, still body, and dilated pupils, ears pinned forward or backward. Even if all the signs are not apparent, you should look for any combination. It is not easy to deal with canine aggression. The least dog owners can do is back off. Confronting the dog in these cases is not worth it.
The Dog Loves You
Sometimes your dog stares because he simply loves you. Research carried out in 2015 discovered that both dogs and humans release oxytocin, particularly when you look into each other’s eyes. New owners can easily mistake the soft gaze for a hard stare, so context is important. The signs that your dachshund loves you are accompanied by a soft tail wag, relaxed ears, light pant and normal-sized pupils. Several dogs are more prone to loving gazes early in the morning because serotonin levels are highest at that time. Your dachshund will not look lovingly into your eyes when it is eating, playing or training. Assume that there is a different motivation behind the gaze if it happens during these times.
Why Do Dachshunds Just Stare At Nothing?
It is difficult to give a specific answer to this question. There can be several reasons, such as dementia, problems with eyesight, infection disorienting the dog or the dog simply wanting to gain its owner’s attention.
Sometimes your dog will stare at nothing in order to gain attention. If your dog believes he will get your attention simply by sitting and staring at nothing, he may purposely do so in order to get you to come and talk to him or pat him.
Another reason that your dog may stare at nothing is because he may be hearing or sensing something. Dogs have incredible hearing. They can hear things far away and can detect noises at different frequencies. Even when your dog is inside, he can still hear something outside that you may not be able to hear. A dog will concentrate on this noise to try and identify it.
Conclusion
Your dog may also sit and stare into space because of eyesight problems, or because he is sick or suffering from fever. If your dog appears to be confused or lost and simply sits and stares into space, it may be a sign of a severe thought process problem, which is known as “doggie dementia” or Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD).
CCD is the same as Alzheimer’s disease in humans. It is the result of physical changes in the brain and its chemicals, mainly due to old age.
Also, the symptoms of the disorder can be mild at the outset, but they gradually worsen. This is called cognitive decline. The signs of CCD can be found in 50% of dogs over the age of 11.
