This dog article will answer the major question, “Why does my dog stare at me when I eat?” we will also discuss the reasons why your dog stares at you when you eat, and the solution to this habit.
Why does my dog stare at me when I eat?
Your dog stares at you when you eat because your dog needs food. Your dog will probably be hungry or your dog wants your attention. There are a number of reasons for dogs staring at you. You should look for the root cause of this behavior in your dog.
What are the reasons for a dog staring when you are eating?
Following are the major reasons for dogs staring when you are eating:
Food
They want your food. Dogs consider human food delicious. If you are sitting at the table eating with your family, your dog will come to you and stare at you until you share your food with your dog.
This is not a good habit for your dog because human food is not healthy for your dog. Some human foods like chocolate can prove very dangerous for your dog to consume.
Staring competition
Staring competition could be a reason for your dog staring at you. Suppose you are sitting at a table and you stare at your dog while your dog is staring at you, your dog will consider it a competition because in the wild, it is considered a competition between the two wolves.
Wolves are the ancestors of dogs, so dogs do have this basic instinct.
Hungary
Your dog might be hungry. Although you have given dog food to your dog, your dog is still hungry. The reason behind your dog’s hunger may be parasite issues, malnourishment or the food is not enough for your dog.
It is better to check the food quality and quantity before feeding it to your dog. If the food quality and quantity are good, then you should take your dog to the vet to diagnose the problem.
Curiosity
Dogs are curious animals. They like to explore things around them. They stare at you because they are curious about what you are doing. If you are eating, singing, or dancing, your dog will be curious about your activities as you are the pack leader.
In the wolves, all the wolves follow the pack leader.
They want something
Sometimes, your dog wants something from you so it will stare at you. It is your ability to understand it. Sometimes dogs want attention, affection or they are ill. You have to rule out each and every possibility to diagnose the root cause of the habit.
Not yet trained
Sometimes dogs stare at you because they do not know what to do instead. They stare at you because you haven’t trained them to play and enjoy. If you have brought home a new pup, the first thing you should be doing is training your dog.
Train them the basic commands first and then other things like playing and interacting afterward.
How can you break this habit of your dog?
It is very difficult to remove this habit from your dog but you can reduce it in the following ways:
Ignoring your dog
If your dog is sitting beside you in search of food then you should ignore your dog. Ignoring will reduce the intensity of this habit. If your dog is getting the food every time it stares at you, then your dog will be doing it a lot of time.
Human food is not safe for your dog so you need to make sure your dog doesn’t get even a bite from it. It is difficult to resist the cute eyes of your four-legged friend but you need to be strong.
Train your dog
It is better to train your dog because it will reduce the intensity of this habit in your dog. Training improves the behavior of your dog.
Feed your dog first
If your dog is hungry, you should feed your dog first before eating your meal. This will surely reduce the intensity of this habit. Dogs are greedy eaters so you cannot eliminate this behavior from your dog.
Do not feed table scrap
If you feed sometimes from the table, your dog will develop the habit of eating from the table which is annoying for you and for your family members in the house. Your dog will sit at the table when it is meal time and your dog will continue to eat from the table.
Conclusion
This dog blog answered the major question, “Why does my dog stare at me when I eat?” we also covered the reasons why your dog stares at you when you eat, and the solution to this habit.
References
https://wagwalking.com/behavior/why-do-dogs-sit-and-watch-you-eat
