My dogs watch me frequently. Sometimes the stare is somewhat piercing and searching and I wonder what is really going through their minds. We know that dogs communicate with each other by gazing. In fact, an article in PLOS One (June 2011), looks into the idea of gaze communication in grey wolves (canis lupis), a close relative of dogs. My research indicates that dogs are trying to communicate several things when they stare.
Your dog is trying to read your body language to assess the situation. Dogs are naturally tuned in to non-verbal communication (obviously), but as verbal creatures ourselves, we cannot imagine how full of input the world is to our dog. Watching you for him is akin to listening to language for humans and maybe even more. He uses your cues to dictate his own actions, choices and fears.
Another study (Animal Cognition, Nov 2013) compared dogs and human toddlers to see what they would do when presented with an unsolvable task, looking for the audience effect. The canine subjects would invariably look to the human handlers when they realized the impossibility of the undertaking to see if the human would indicate a clue or possibly just to see if they had an audience. So your dog may be seeing if you will indicate a solution or if you are paying attention.
It has been proven that more sociable dogs will gaze longer at the human face than less sociable ones, so the assumption is that your dog knows that humans represent good things and wants something from you.
It is important to note that some dogs also possess an aggressive stare, so be sure to take into account the other body language cues from a staring dog to keep yourself safe.
I think that the reason your dog is staring at you is somewhat dependent on your specific dog. My Great Dane, Dora, watches me because she knows that I represent good things and she wants food and treats. She is an independent, primarily food motivated dog that likes to do her own thing whereas Skye, my Standard Poodle, watches me because she is a somewhat anxious dog and she is checking for cues as I am her security blanket. Neither are aggressive dogs, but both like an audience. They came from rescue situations, so both have probably known times when they did not have their needs met and they know that I reward good choices on their part.
Whatever the exact reason for your dog’s stare, it is probably a positive thing that indicates how important you are to her. She is probably trying to read your body language, seeing if you are paying attention and anticipating good things. An attentive dog is a blessing. If you see her staring, return her focus by giving her responsiveness and rewards.
