Why Does My Dog Look At Me When He's Pooping?

Have you ever noticed your dog gazing into your eyes while he/she is taking a dump? If your answer is yes, then don’t worry, you’re not alone. Thousands of pawrents out there can relate to your situation.

Why do dogs look at their hoomans when they poop?

Experts explain that dogs stare at you when they defecate not out of embarrassment. Instead, they do it because of their awareness of possible risks in their environment. When a dog defecates, his/her body formation changes in order to accommodate the needs of the body to expel wastes. 

In most cases, this type of position is the most vulnerable out of all the positions because your dog can’t flee or defend himself/herself when another animal suddenly attacks. Your dog knows this risk, that’s why he/she is turning to you for help. 

Your dog’s gaze is the best and probably the most subtle way for him/her to tell you “Hey there pack leader, I need your protection.” Your dog simply wants to say that he/she completely trusts you to keep out the baddies.   

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Your role as a pack leader

You may wonder – what’s the right behaviour here? Should I be maintaining eye contact? Not necessarily.

There’s nothing much you can do about this behavior except to simply guard your pup and reassure his/her safety. As much as possible, you should avoid doing anything that may startle your pooch while he/she is pooping. 

Respect your dog’s needs and allow him/her to finish things without interruptions. You may also try to look the other way to give your dog a bit of privacy.

Besides poop-stares, you might also notice other odd behaviors when your dog tries to defecate. Here are some common examples and the possible reasons behind them:

• Scooting – A lot of dogs scoot right after they poop because they want to get rid of remaining fecal matter on his/her bum.
• Spinning – Some pooches tend to spin around a few minutes before they defecate.
• Kicking – It’s your pup’s way of covering up his/waste materials with soil, grass or dried leaves.
• Poop eating – A large fraction of dogs tend to snack on their wastes. If your dog does the same, then you should have him/her checked. Coprophagia or poop-eating is often triggered by parasites, defective intestines, and pancreatic enzyme deficiencies. 

Sploot View: You Protec When He Can’t

The next time you see your dog gaze at you while they poop, you’ll know that they’re not being weird. It’s only your dear pup’s way of telling you that he/she feels exposed and vulnerable and that he/she needs your protection.

Have questions about dog parenting? Get answers from 50K+ dog parents on the sploot app! Ask Here