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thinking when he stares at you? I have a GSD that stares at me alot. I know it doesn't mean that he's about to pounce on me or even being aggressive with me. I know this because my GSD does NOT bite or is aggressive with me. Sometimes when I'm doing something and my dog is laying down somewhere nearby, I'd turn to look at him and see him looking at me. We can look at eachother's eyes for quite a while before he turns his head. What does this mean?

my rough collie does the same thing. I like to think that it's her devotion to her owner but that might just be my wishful thinking!
If only dogs could talk!

>>thinking when he stares at you? I have a GSD that stares at me alot. I know it doesn't mean that he's about to pounce on me or even being aggressive with me. I know this because my GSD does NOT bite or is aggressive with me. Sometimes when I'm doing something and my dog is laying down somewhere nearby, I'd turn to look at him and see him looking at me. We can look at eachother's eyes for quite a while before he turns his head. What does this mean?

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Herding dogs use a lot of eye. It's not a bad thing. Makes training easier because they naturally give eye contact. It is not dominance.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

I think you are very lucky. I love it when mine gaze into my eyes. We have 7 of our own (& 2 rescues) that we've gotton from every sorce (roadside, shelter, not-so-good indiv.home & from rep. breeder, at various ages from 8wks to 8 yrs, & each one of them will gaze into our eyes during play but especially during cuddle time.

I believe its a show of mutual respect & the best indicator of BONDING.

Thanks for bringing it up. I think its a great topic & hope more will post their experiences.

Thanks KDiamondDavis!

Yeah, I love it when my GSD just stares at me. I sometimes just sit down and we have this little staring thing going on! But sometimes when I get home from school and he's outside in the yard, behind a glass door. He'd stare at me again, and if he sees that I'm not moving or anything, he starts to give off one or two barks and gets pretty worked up. Lol. Man, I love my dog =)

Hi CountryHounds, I think it¡¯s great you have so many dogs and from such different backgrounds! You must have had a lot of very different experiences in raising them. I only have the one but I will definitely be getting another one in maybe a couple of years once she¡¯s settled in and grown up. I¡¯ve read that you should wait 2 years in between dogs but maybe from your experience you can tell me what difference it makes with the time span in between dogs?

I have found the most satisfying and rewarding experiences I¡¯ve had so far, in the short time I¡¯ve had mine, is when she looks into my eyes. Sometimes she¡¯ll be playing with a toy and then she¡¯ll just stop for maybe 10 or 20 seconds and look at me and I really have no idea what¡¯s going through her mind but it is lovely! I know she¡¯s not thinking ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s ok me playing with this¡± because she¡¯s like a canine vacuum cleaner and sweeps up anything and everything into her mouth! I should train her to carry a broom around the apartment!

this is another topic really & my bottom line is that there is no set rule, smile.

the waiting until 2 yrs or so, I think is so that the first dog will be bonded to you.

I would say that all of ours are very bonded to both me & husband. Even the last rescue. cleome was in a gas station parking lot, nearly comatose with a skull fracture. She is about 3 yo, mix? chic/rat terrier & no clue about her previous life.

She spends her days with a 12 yo F min pin, a 3 yo male mix corgi & a 2 yo mix Italian greyhound F. They are really affectionate & play like puppies. That suprised me.

There is a poster on the Shiba forums that has a few mo old mix & just adopted a bit older mix, from a shelter both males & they are best buddies, check out the photos. Its Jasper & Bear (if I recall)

Some dogs just seem to click, but I do have years of experience (training, etc) & stay at home & we have lots of fenced areas, they all are inside family members too.

I love it when my little dog stares at me,she'll either procede to roll over on her back or wiggle her butt and growl with a toy in her mouth