Why Does My Yorkie Stare At Me? (When To Worry)

There you are, just minding your own business.

Suddenly, you notice your Yorkshire terrier out of the corner of your eyes.

It is just sitting there and staring at you.

It does not avert its gaze and rarely even blinks. It just keeps staring.

This can be a bit freaky, especially if you are a new dog owner and not used to this yet.

But I can assure you, it is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about.

Keep reading to learn exactly why your Yorkie stares at you like this and what it means. This will help you better understand and communicate with your dog.

 

Why Does My Yorkie Stare At Me?

Yorkies stare at their owner as a means of nonverbal communication. Your Yorkie might stare at you to show its love and affection, when it wants something, when it is feeling confused, or when it is trying to read your body language.

A Yorkie staring at its owner is also a form of attention seeking. From a loving gaze to a cold and icy stare, your Yorkie uses its eyes to communicate many important things to you. Here are the top 7 reasons your Yorkie might stare at you.

 

To Show Love And Affection

Yorkies show their love and affection using their eyes. And when your pet stares at you with love and affection, it also releases the love hormone (oxytocin) in both you and the dog. Research shows that this loving bond is comparable to the bond between a mother and child.

The next time you see your little Yorkie looking at you with longing, know that it is trying to convey its love, affection, and respect for you.

 

Non-verbal Communication

Wolves, the ancestors of dogs, used their eyes as a means of communication. If an animal stared at the wolf, it was considered a threat that would trigger the wolf to attack it.

That is the reason experts recommend not staring at unfamiliar dogs. They could perceive you to be intimidating and a threat.

In the case of our domesticated Yorkies, staring is a means of communication. Dogs use their eyes beyond the usual barking, whining, etc. to talk to their owners. Mostly they are conveying their love and affection, trying to inform you of some need they have.

 

It Wants Something

Does your Yorkie stare at you when you are eating? Then most probably it wants your food or treats.

Other times that your Yorkie might stare at you intently are when it wants to go out for a walk or even when it wants to be cuddled.

Your Yorkie knows that when it looks at you, you are bound to act and give it what it wants. We unknowingly teach our Yorkies this cause and effect.

This is reinforced during training, when we hold treats in our hands and our Yorkie listens to the command, obeys it, and then stares expectantly at you for the treat and gets it.

 

It is Confused

Some signs that a Yorkie is confused include: staring at you with its head tilted or turning, ears back or pricked up, panting, or barking.

When you see these signs while your Yorkie is staring at you, then it is awaiting more clarity on something and does not know what to do.

It wants further guidance and verbal or visual cues. You might want to give clearer commands to avoid confusing your pet. Do check out our detailed training guides in our Yorkie training section.

 

To Read Your Body Language

Your Yorkie could also stare at you to assess your mood and body language. It can easily determine if you are feeling happy, sad, or upset, simply by looking at you.

Staring at you will help you Yorkie understand if you are anxious or need comfort. This sensitive nature makes Yorkies great therapy dogs and service pets, because they have the ability to sense human moods, feelings, and body language.

 

It is Seeking Attention

Young Yorkies stare at their owners for attention. They are probably missing their mother and littermates and look up to you for comfort and love.

When we cuddle our young Yorkie puppy each time it stares at us, we encourage it to continue seeking attention in the same manner, even into adulthood.

So if your pet keeps staring at you, it is clearly a sign that it wants attention. It wants you to play with it, cuddle with it, or simply spend time with it.

 

As A Form Of Aggression

In rare cases, a Yorkie might stare at a someone accompanied by a stiff body and lifted lips. This could be a form of aggression. As mentioned earlier, even wolves use this type of body language to communicate aggression or threat.

If a Yorkie does this once, you might want to take steps to curb it immediately. Any form of aggression must be nipped in the bud. You will want to train and socialize your dog.

If you have adopted an older Yorkie from a shelter, then it could have some past trauma that could trigger such aggression. Speak to your vet or a canine behaviorist to assess the reasons behind the aggression.

 

Why Does My Dog Stare At Me Without Blinking?

If an unfamiliar dog stares steadily at you without blinking, it could be a form of silent non-verbal communication asking you to back off

Consider it a threat and back away slowly without any sudden moves. A guard dog will stare at a stranger or an intruder in this manner as a way of warning them off.

However, if your pet dog is staring at you without blinking, then it is an affectionate glance. Your dog is simply trying to communicate to you that it loves you. It could also want something, perhaps food or treats or a walk outside.

 

Why Does My Dog Stare At Me And Look Sad?

Dogs are capable of feeling emotions like pain, confusion, and sorrow. If your dog is staring at you and looking sad, then it might be fearful, anxious, or uncomfortable in some way. Perhaps it has some health issues.

Maybe your dog simply needs to be engaged in some ways other than food. Take it out for a walk and give it some dog puzzles to solve.

Make it a point to give it attention every day, be it for 10,15, or 20 minutes. Dogs love belly rubs and most of them enjoy car rides and hikes with their humans.

Try to do these things whenever you can and life will be great for both of you. If your dog continues looking sad, has a lack of appetite, or has some other symptoms, then please have it checked by a vet.

 

Should You Stare A Dog In The Eyes?

In most cases, two dogs won’t stare at each other unless there is some sort of threat involved. Most dogs that do not want to engage another dog will avert their eyes.

In short: staring is a sign of rudeness in the dog world.

However, when a human stares back at their own dog, it could strengthen the bond between the two. After all, the action releases oxytocin in both you and your pet and can be a bonding moment for you and your dog.

When it comes to staring at an unfamiliar dog, it is best not to do so. As explained earlier, the dog might perceive staring as a form of rudeness, threat, or aggression. As a result, it might attack.

 

Why Do Yorkies Stare At You: Conclusion

There are a number of reasons dogs might stare at their owners. It is rarely a bad reason. Usually, they are just trying to communicate a need, their love for you, or something else.

Hopefully this article has helped you better understand what your Yorkshire terrier is trying to tell you when it stares at you. If you want to learn more about Yorkie vision, check out our article titled Are Yorkies Color Blind?