What Are Puppy Dog Eyes?
Puppy dog eyes refer to the unique facial expression that puppies make where their eyes are wide open with the brows raised, causing the eyes to appear big, rounded, and innocent looking. According to Wiktionary, puppy dog eyes are described as a “facial expression showing credulous or unsophisticated innocence.”
When puppies give these puppy dog eyes, their eyes will often look slightly moist or watery, with their eyelids relaxed and soft. The overall effect makes the puppy’s eyes look especially sweet and endearing. This facial expression evokes a sense of innocence and draws in the viewer, often making them feel compassion for the puppy.
In summary, puppy dog eyes refer to the sweet, wide-eyed, and innocent facial expression puppies make to appeal to human caretakers. The look aims to convey that the puppy is harmless and kind, eliciting a nurturing response.
Why Do Puppies Give Puppy Dog Eyes?
Puppies give “puppy dog eyes” as an instinctual response to elicit caregiving from humans. According to research from Smithsonian Magazine, puppies innately make an expression that resembles human sadness as a survival mechanism. This expression causes their eyes to appear larger, more infantile, and cuter.
The puppy dog eyes facial expression is an evolved trait that triggers a nurturing response in humans. When a puppy looks up at a human with big, round, soulful eyes, it subconsciously motivates the person to provide affection and care. So puppies give puppy eyes to get attention and care from their owners.
Scientists believe that over thousands of years of domestication, dogs evolved facial muscles that allow them to make the puppy dog eyes expression more effectively than wild wolves. This adaptation likely emerged because puppies that were better able to tap into human caregiving instincts were more likely to survive and reproduce.
So next time your pup gives you puppy dog eyes, know that it is an instinctive behavior hardwired into their genetics! Those pleading eyes are your pup’s way of asking for a belly rub, a treat, or some quality time with their favorite human.
The Science Behind Puppy Dog Eyes
Researchers have found that domestic dogs evolved facial muscles that allow them to make exaggerated eyebrow movements and enlarge their eyes to appear more “infant-like”. This helps dogs better communicate with humans.
Studies show that dogs have a muscle called the levator anguli oculi medialis, which allows them to raise their inner eyebrow independently of the outer eyebrow. This creates the signature “puppy dog eyes” look that pulls at our heartstrings. Compared to wolves, dogs have a more flexible and active inner eyebrow that moves higher up when dogs are looking at a human. [1]
Dogs also developed frontalis muscles above their eyes that allow them to raise their eyebrows even more. This eyebrow movement makes a dog’s eyes appear bigger, giving them a childlike, infantile look. [2]
In addition, dogs have rounded, front-facing eyes compared to wolves. Their large, wide-set eyes with dilated pupils resemble a human baby’s eyes. This eye shape and expression triggers a nurturing response in humans.
Together, the eyebrow movements and enlarged, rounded eyes create an “infant-like” facial expression that humans find nearly irresistible. Puppy dog eyes give dogs a powerful tool to bond and communicate with people.
Do Adult Dogs Give Puppy Eyes?
Some adult dogs retain the puppy dog eye trait into adulthood and continue using it to bond with their owners. According to the American Kennel Club, dogs have evolved to give puppy dog eyes because it triggers a nurturing response in humans. The eyebrows raise up, the eyes widen, and the facial muscles enlarge the eyes – all traits that resemble human infants and evoke caretaking instincts.
Research has shown that adult dogs produce higher levels of oxytocin, known as the “love hormone,” when making puppy dog eyes at their owners. Oxytocin is linked to bonding, trust, and empathy. So when an adult dog looks at you with big puppy eyes, it is engaging this hormone to strengthen your relationship and empathy toward them.
However, not all adult dogs retain puppy eyes into maturity. Breeds like Pugs, Bulldogs, and Boston Terriers often lose the ability to make the facial expressions as they age due to their shortened snouts and prominent eyes. But many adult dogs continue using puppy eyes selectively as a way to plead for food, attention, or other desires from their owners.
So next time your grown dog looks at you with puppy dog eyes, it is likely an attempt to tug at your heartstrings and deepen your emotional bond. Those soulful eyes signify your dog cares for you and sees you as their caretaker, no matter how old they get.
Other Animals that Give Puppy Eyes
While puppy dog eyes are most associated with dogs, especially young puppies, there are several other animals that also give an endearing “puppy eye” look to humans and other animals. Three of the most notable are seals, pandas, and foxes.
Seals often have large, round eyes and will stare up with a pleading expression that pulls at the heartstrings. This is especially evident in young seal pups, whose big eyes can elicit a caretaking response. According to one study, seals have a high density of ganglion cells in their retina which may allow them to see well in low light conditions, contributing to their puppy-eyed appearance (source).
Giant pandas are also beloved for their large, dark eyes that give them an appealing baby-like quality. Their eye markings are thought to help them communicate with each other. When stressed, pandas will widen their pupils, move their eyes more, and engage in more eye contact, similar to dogs (source).
Foxes share facial features with dogs including forward-facing eyes, floppy ears, and expressive faces. Young foxes in particular seem to give puppy dog eyes as a form of communication. Wild foxes show more eye contact when approaching humans, suggesting their facial expressions play a role in social interactions like dogs (source).
The Power of Puppy Eyes on Humans
Puppy dog eyes trigger a nurturing response in humans. When dogs make direct eye contact and raise their eyebrows, it strikes a chord deep within the human psyche. This reaction is believed to stem from an evolutionary basis – humans are hard-wired to respond to signs of distress and vulnerability in young animals, as it activates our parental instincts.
Research has shown that images of dogs making puppy eyes light up the same caregiving regions of the human brain as human babies. The sad, upward gaze makes the eyes appear larger, and triggers feelings of empathy and a desire to protect. That is why puppy dog eyes are so hard to resist – it’s human nature to want to comfort and nurture animals displaying signs of juvenile distress.
Using Puppy Eyes to Train Your Dog
Puppy dog eyes can be an effective training tool when used properly. Making eye contact with your dog and rewarding them with praise or treats when they maintain focus on you is a great way to reinforce good behavior. According to an article on Whole Dog Journal, “This is an operant conditioning/positive reinforcement exercise – your dog learns her behavior can make good stuff happen.”
However, it’s important not to reward your dog with attention or treats if they are displaying unwanted behaviors. As noted by Golden Paws Dog Training, “You don’t want to reinforce bad habits by giving your dog attention when he’s doing something naughty.” So while puppy eyes can strengthen the bond between owner and dog, they should only be encouraged during training when the dog is acting appropriately.
With positive reinforcement and consistency, training your dog to maintain eye contact can improve their focus, strengthen their recall, and allow them to better pay attention to commands. But puppy dog eyes should not be used as a free pass for misbehavior. By being selective in when you respond to those pleading eyes, you can get the most out of them as a training tool.
The Controversy Around Puppy Eyes
While puppy dog eyes may seem endearing, some argue that dogs have evolved this facial expression to manipulate humans. The sad, wide-eyed look prompts a caregiving response in people, releasing oxytocin and potentially exploiting human instincts. According to National Geographic, puppy eyes may allow dogs to get their way, similar to how human babies influence their parents.
However, others counter that this facial expression serves to strengthen bonds between dogs and their human caregivers. When a dog gives puppy eyes, it signals a need for attention, care or reassurance. Responding to this look reinforces the human-canine connection. Rather than manipulation, it represents an interspecies communication system that has evolved over tens of thousands of years. So while puppy eyes may sometimes “work” to get a dog something they want, it more profoundly taps into the meaningful relationship between dogs and their people.
Puppy Eyes in Popular Culture
Puppy dog eyes have become a popular cultural trope and are frequently referenced in movies, TV shows, and advertising campaigns. The pleading, innocent look that puppies give when they want something tugs at the heartstrings, and is an effective tool for emotional manipulation.
In movies and TV shows, characters giving puppy dog eyes is often played for comedic effect. For example, in the TV show The Big Bang Theory, Penny uses her “puppy dog eyes” when trying to convince the guys to do things for her. The trope is also used in kids movies like Shrek when Puss in Boots gives his sad kitten eyes look.
Advertisers have latched onto the power of puppy eyes to sell everything from toys and treats to insurance and cars. The idea is that showing a cute puppy giving their sad eyes makes consumers more likely to open their wallets. Some of the most popular examples are Bush’s Baked Beans ads featuring Duke the talking dog, and the MetLife insurance ads starring their mascot Snoopy. The ASPCA and other animal shelters also famously use the puppy eyes trope in their commercials and print ads when asking for donations or adoptions.
Overall, puppy dog eyes remain an enduring pop culture reference because of how quickly and effectively they allow us to anthropomorphize dogs and appeal to people’s emotions. The associations with cuteness, innocence, and loyalty allow the trope to be used in a humorous, heartwarming, or manipulative manner.
The Enduring Appeal of Puppy Eyes
One of the most unique traits that connects dogs and humans is the expression known as “puppy dog eyes.” This facial expression, where dogs raise their eyebrows and widen their eyes to look appealing and sad to humans, is something that sets dogs apart from other domesticated animals like cats or livestock.
Research by scientists from the UK’s University of Portsmouth found that a specific muscle around the eyes allowed dogs to make meaningful eye contact and facial expressions that appeal to human sensitivities. This expression only occurs in dogs, and not their wolf ancestors, indicating it likely evolved specifically to emotionally manipulate humans.
The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, used CT scans of dog and wolf skulls to identify this muscle that allows more eyebrow raises. This expression causes a puppyish, infant-like facial expression that triggers a nurturing response in humans.
So while puppy dog eyes may frustrate owners who feel manipulated by them, they are a unique trait that forms an emotional bond between dogs and humans. This physical adaptation in dogs is a sign of just how closely intertwined dogs and human psychology have become through domestication and evolution together.