Why Dogs Stare At You When You Eat
Staring at other creatures while they are eating is embedded in your dog’s DNA. Dogs are pack animals, and this behaviour is based on the hierarchy of the pack. Wild dogs stare at higher-ranking dogs or the pack leader while they eat. This lets the leader know they are hungry and to leave scraps behind for them to eat.
In domestic living situations, your family is your dog’s pack. If you have trained your dog appropriately, they see the humans as their pack leaders. They watch you eat to let you know that they want to eat, too. By staring at you during mealtime, your dog is demonstrating that he is subordinate to you in the pack order.
Here are the most common reasons why dogs stare at you while you eat:
Your Dog Wants Your Food
As stated above, this is the most likely reason your dog is staring at you. They smell your food and see you eating it. Since most dogs are highly food motivated, they stare at you and drool in hopes that you will share.
Preventing this behaviour involves training your dog to sit or lay down somewhere away from where you are eating. You can also try feeding your dog at the same time you eat or giving them a bone to chew on during mealtime.
Your Dog is Hungry
Dogs who are hungry will try to find food anywhere they can, so this may be the reason they’re staring at you. If your dog only stares at your food when it has been a while since they’ve eaten, this may be the cause.
You’ve Rewarded the Behavior
If you have inadvertently rewarded your dog for staring at you eating, this may be why your dog keeps doing it. If you have ever given in to your dog’s longing looks by giving them food, they will continue to look for more.
Begging can be avoided by not sharing your food while you’re eating.
Your Dog Wants Attention
Sometimes your dog stares at you because they want attention. If your dog stares at you eating while other people or around or also stares at you around others when you’re not eating, this is the likely cause.
It can help to make sure you are giving your dog enough attention throughout the day and also giving your dog adequate exercise. It can be easy to neglect your dog when visitors are around, so make sure you aren’t ignoring their needs.
How To Stop Your Dog Staring At You While Eating
Here are some tips to stop your dog’s begging behaviour:
- Feed your dog around the same time. Dishing out your dog’s food right before you sit down to eat avoids them being hungry and may distract them enough to stop staring.
- Don’t reward the behaviour. Make sure that you and everyone else in your house don’t feed the dog off their plate.
- Distract the dog by giving them a bone or toy to chew on during mealtime.
- Ignore the staring. Constantly telling your dog to “stop it” gives them attention. Even if it is negative attention, dogs will continue something that gains it. Completely ignoring your dog will cause the behaviour to dissipate over time.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, dogs staring at us when we eat is a common behaviour that stems from a variety of causes, including hunger, jealousy, and simple curiosity.
It’s very important to make sure your dog isn’t accidentally being rewarded for staring at your food by you or other members of your household.
Understanding why your dog is staring at you while you eat can help you better understand their behaviour and strengthen the bond between you and your furry friend.
Whether it’s offering them a treat or simply paying attention to them, there are many ways to make your dog feel included and appreciated. So the next time your dog is staring at you while you eat, take a moment to appreciate their love and affection, and return the favour with some love and attention of your own.
