Building A Relationship With Your Dog
Making the Most of the Dog-DogMa Bond
(Part 1)
Post By: The Puppy DogMa, Midas’s Mom!
Everybody reading this post loves their dog, there’s no question there… But do you know how to optimize this special bond? So many aspects of your dog’s behavior stem from their relationship with you, both good and the bad. Whether you just want to learn how to deepen your bond with your pup, better understand their behaviors, or become more effective in training, this is a must read for all DogMas!
This is part one of a three part series where I will provide you with strategies to strengthen the bond between you and your dog that are based on real evidence in the animal behavior literature AND have been tested by Midas and me!
Today’s Tip: Practicing Eye Contact
I know, I know, you’re thinking, “Here we go again. C’mon Puppy DogMa, now this is just silly.” No! I am dead serious. Not only will practicing eye contact help your dog-DogMa relationship but it can help your own overall [HUMAN!] health!
A common question I get when introducing this strategy is “I thought that making eye contact with dogs was threatening?” This is only partially correct, when a dog makes hard eye contact with ANOTHER DOG this can be a signal to “back off or I’m coming for you…” However, studies have shown that when a dog makes eye contact with their HUMAN, it is a completely different experience.
In this case, oxytocin (yes, that’s right - the cuddle hormone!) is released. Oxytocin is the same molecule that stimulates bonding between a human infant and their mother! Racca et al., (2010) demonstrated that dogs are able to detect and recognize the human face, while Nagasawa et al (2011) showed the ability of dogs to connect facial expressions with probable outcomes.
For example: Your dog rips up your shoe. When you discover this you turn toward them angrily.
By looking at your face you dog knows:
1. That is my human’s face,
2. It looks angry, and
3. I bet I’m in trouble.
Kis et al. (2017) took it a step further and used eye-tracking technology to study dogs’ facial processing abilities. It was found that dogs preferentially gaze toward the eyes when processing human faces. Further, dogs artificially given the feel-good oxytocin hormone actually spent LESS time looking at their human’s eye region. If you think about it, it makes sense that a dog who is artificially given a hormone to feel good and bond would need less time gazing into the eyes of their owner to get that high! Put simply, these studies have demonstrated that dogs can recognize and interpret our human faces, and that they utilize eye contact to do so.
After all that fun science stuff, I figured, how could it not be beneficial to take a minute to ask your doggo for a couple of seconds of eye contact? As a reminder, depending on your dog’s background (specifically if they’re reactive to people or have experienced abuse from a human in the past), easing into a technique like this may be necessary! I will often pick a time when Midas and I are both relaxing on the couch to lean towards him, give him a pet, and say “Hi bubbie, should we do some eye contact?” Notice how I phrased it as a question.
So many of us tell our dog what to do and not do, and pet them and cuddle them whenever we feel like it. When was the last time you asked your dog if you could pet them? Hmm, that’s what I thought! I kid you not, half the time my angsty adolescent havanese will immediately look away with the attitude of a 14 year old girl. The other half of the time, we gaze lovingly into each others’ eyes with a soft smile. I always thank him afterwards for giving me that special moment. Trust me, just give it a try for a few days, and tell me you don’t feel a stronger connection to your pup!
I look forward to watching your Dog-DogMa relationships strengthen. Stay tuned for part 2 coming soon!
Furever yours,
The Puppy DogMa (@midas_themightydog)
Can’t get enough of Puppy DogMa? Us either! Check out her previous post, “How To Know If You’re Ready To Get A Dog With Your Partner!”
