Why Does My Dog Side Eye Me? (2023)

Don’t you love how expressive dogs’ faces are? Their little eyebrows seem to communicate so much. The lip that gets snagged on that wayward tooth in a comical grimace. That sideways glance conveys epic levels of shade.

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What is whale eye in dogs?

If you’re not sure what I mean, side-eye, or whale eye, is when your dog looks at you out of their vision. Their head may be slightly turned away from you, but their vision is ON. YOU. And it speaks volumes.

Do a quick Google search, and chances are good that you’ll be served a hilarious list of dog side-eye memes. Funny, it may be on the internet, but what does it mean when your dog looks at you from the side of their eye? Is it as shady as it seems? Or is there something more that lies behind that look?

Call it what you will – doggie side-eye, dog whale eye, stank eye – your doggo is trying to tell you something. Let’s dig into what doggie side-eye means.

Why do dogs give the side-eye?

Sure, the doggie side-eye memes are funny, but you should pay attention if your dog is shooting you the side-eye.

Whale eye in dogs is usually a warning that your doggo is about to get all kinds of aggressive with you. Either they’re being protective of something, over a bone or a toy, or they feel threatened. Either way, your dog is laying down a rigid boundary.

So, what should you do when your doggie gives you a side-eye? If your dog shoots you one of these looks, it’s wise to stop whatever you’re doing and back away. Your dog communicates that they’re not enjoying the situation, and you should respect that.

Ignoring this warning will result in your dog’s defensive response, leaving you both feeling bad about the situation. If you take notice and give your dog the space they’re asking for, you’ll avoid a confrontation, your dog will feel that their boundaries are being respected, and he will feel understood.

Other body language associated with doggie side-eye?

In canine body language, things rarely occur in isolation. So, a look might accompany a posture or another physical signal to back it up.

With side-eye, it could be your dog catching your movement out of his eye or the car telling you to back right off.

If you want to be sure your dog is serving you the side-eye, you should pay attention to your dog’s general body posture; a dog feeling threatened will have a rigid or tense posture.

Other signs that your dog may be feeling stressed include:

If you’re close enough to see your dog’s eyes, these can tell you a lot too. A happy and comfortable dog will have the iris (the colored part) of their eyes visible. According to research, an anxious dog will have dilated pupils, but a dog giving the side-eye will have part of the whites of their eyes visible.

It must be noted, though, that seeing the whites of a dog’s eyes is not always a sign of the side eye. Some breeds of dogs, usually those with squished faces like boxers, bulldogs, and pugs, have the whites of their eyes visible often. In these cases, you’ll need to assess body language.

In reality, it’s simply not possible to watch your dog 24/7, so it can be helpful to use an interactive pet camera when you’re not home or even just out of the room to identify what may be triggering your dog’s aggression and side-eye. This incredible technology allows you to observe your dog without your presence in the room to influence the situation, which could reveal a great deal that may help you understand the problem.

Got side-eyed? Here’s how you should respond

If your dog gives you a side-eye, they communicate a boundary. By respecting that boundary, you teach your dog they can trust you. Consistently respecting their boundaries will go a long way in building a significant relationship between you and your dog.

Here’s how to respond when your dog gives you a side-eye:

Back off: your dog is communicating with you as best it can. Back up and assess the situation to understand what’s bothering them.
Look for the root of the problem – are they feeling encroached upon? Are they being protective of something, a bone, perhaps?
Resolve the problem. Remove the cause of the tension to avoid the possibility of aggressive behavior. If it’s a bone or a toy, lead your dog away or distract them while you remove it. Help your dog to feel understood and respected.
It’s important not to raise your voice or get angry with your dog. Please help them to relax and feel comfortable again.

Popular side-eyes from the internet

We now know what dog side-eye means and are hopefully well-equipped to deal with it in real life. We’ve covered the serious stuff, so now we can kick back and enjoy some of the pure gold that the internet serves up when you search for dog side-eye memes. No doubt you’ll recognize more than a few of these!

Some of these are comedic gold, but now that you know all about side-eye in dogs, did you notice how many of these memes feature flat-faced breeds like boxers and pugs? Were you able to identify what the dogs in the memes might be trying to communicate to their owners?

FAQ

My dog always has a whale eye!

If you have a dog like a boxer, pug, or bulldog, you may see a whale eye more often than in other breeds.
It’s probably not whale eye, or side-eye, at all. Dog breeds with shorter snouts and squished-up faces tend to show the whites of their eyes more frequently purely because of the structure of their faces.
In these breeds, you’ll need to look for other body language cues to confirm that it is a side-eye and not just a sideways glance.

Is it bad if my dog is giving side-eye?

A dog giving a side-eye with other body language cues that he is stressed or anxious about something is not good. But like all bad things in life, it’s also an opportunity.
If your dog gives you a side-eye, it’s a chance for you to build trust by stopping whatever you were doing to illicit the side-eye and help your dog feel that they can trust you to respect their boundaries.
If you choose not to back away from your dog’s side-eye, you’ll likely get an unpleasant and aggressive response from your dog.

What is whale eye in dogs?

Whale eye in dogs refers to that sideways glance your dog gives you that makes it possible to see the whites of their eyes. It usually indicates a dog that is not at ease and possibly stressed. Sometimes the eyes even seem to be bugging out a little.
Usually, a dog serving this kind of side-eye is not a happy or relaxed dog, but in some breeds, especially those with flatter faces, seeing the whites of their eyes is common and not necessarily a result of side-eye.

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