Dog owners urged to look out for ‘whale eyes’ sign that could mean danger
Dog lovers all over the world often wish they could talk directly to their canine companions and figure out what was going on in their pooch's noodle.
Sadly dogs can't talk, so the best we can do is pay attention to their body language and look out for the tell-tale signs that something is wrong.
Some of the signs are obvious, if a dog is growling and baring its teeth at you then it's probably not the best time to see if you can go over and pet it.
Other signs are less apparent, and you need to know what to look out for.
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Take 'whale eyes' for example, this is where a dog will avert its head a bit and the whites of their eyes will look like they're in the shape of a half-moon.
If you can see the whites of your dog's eyes then that can be a sign worth paying attention to, and they'll probably show other signs of being under stress as well.
The danger that comes in here is that a dog displaying these signs is anxious and stressed, and may lash out at those around it.
'Whale eyes' is a good indicator that your dog is stressed and needs to be kept calm and away from others.
Unless you trust your pooch totally, it's a signal that you should give the animal some distance if you can, and it's a good chance to cast your gaze around for what might be upsetting your dog.
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By figuring out the context and cause behind the whale eye you can get to work settling the dog back down again.
Whale eye can be a message from your dog to you that they want to you sort it out, whatever's bothering them they're looking to you with the whites of their eyes for a solution.
According to pet experts The Spruce Pets, trying to discipline your dog at this point is pretty much pointless.
Your pooch is panicked so telling them off is only going to make things worse, instead it's on you to figure out what's causing the distress and either get your canine companion away from the perceived danger or defuse the situation.
It's their way of asking you for help, how you manage to help them is up to you.
Joe Harker