That’s why your dog is winking at you

Has it ever happened that you caught your favorite's gaze, and they winked at you? At first, it may seem like a random coincidence, but when it happens repeatedly, one starts to wonder whether their beloved dog is doing it intentionally.

If we want to decipher dogs’ communication, it’s worth considering their entire body and the context. However, in the human world, we often focus more on a person’s facial expressions or what their eyes reveal. That’s why with dogs, we tend to pay special attention to these areas as well. After a thorough examination, it may sometimes seem that our favorite’s gaze is so expressive that it almost speaks. Ultimately, we’re not entirely wrong; eyes can reveal a lot, from uncertainty or fear to happiness. Now, we want to specifically highlight one gesture and its interpretation: the wink.

Should we even pay attention to the wink?

Owners often find themselves pondering what their dog might be trying to communicate, whether intentionally or unintentionally. This is one reason why we repeatedly write about the body language of dogs because not only is it an interesting topic, but it’s also crucial to understand it in detail. By comprehending our beloved pets, a whole new world unfolds before us. On one hand, we can deepen our bond and get to know our dogs better; on the other hand, we can quickly notice if there’s any problem they are signaling.

As mentioned above, it’s advisable to always look at a dog’s communication as a whole. Of course, to complete the picture, paying attention to the smaller details is recommended. While a wink alone may not drastically change the meaning of body language, it’s good to know what our dog might be conveying with it.

Why is my dog winking?

In the case of a healthy dog, it’s very likely that winking has some form of communicative purpose. Many believe that this gesture may have developed due to living with humans or through inadvertent training (meaning the owner unintentionally reinforced the behavior). After all, if the dog once captures the owner’s attention with a wink, it’s likely to be appealing and may be repeated in the future.

Winking can indicate affection, a dog’s desire for peace, attention, or perhaps an attempt to mimic its owner if winking is a gesture commonly observed

– said Megan Conrad in the Daily Paws

So, a calm wink might just be aimed at assessing the owner’s state. However, if, for instance, it is accompanied by pawing or more excited body language, the dog might be seeking attention. On the other hand, if it is accompanied by appeasing behaviors, such as turning on its back, the dog is likely just trying to convey that it means no harm.

As we can see, there are various ways to interpret this ‘flirtatious’ behavior, and its meaning largely depends on how the dog combines it with other gestures. However, there are cases where excessive winking can be related to health issues, so it’s essential not to ignore it if your pet regularly exhibits this behavior seemingly without a clear reason.

When there is no communicative reason to wink

It’s quite possible that something got into the dog’s eye. In such cases, the dog won’t just wink once or twice but will attempt to blink or squint to clear the irritating foreign object that entered its eye. We are all familiar with this phenomenon as stray eyelashes spare no one.

There could be a more serious reason as well. If the area appears swollen or inflamed, or if there’s a deviation from the usual eye discharge (such as purulent or watery discharge), it’s crucial to take your pet to the vet. Lastly, frequent winking could also indicate eyelid inversion (entropion). Where “weakened connective tissue fibers cause the circular eye muscle to turn the lower eyelid inward.” This can lead to irritation and, if left untreated, even vision loss. This issue is quite common in brachycephalic breeds and can be easily corrected with surgery.