You must have noticed that your dog winks at you from time to time. Many dog owners rarely talk about this because in most cases they think they have imagined winking from their pet. However, it turns out that dogs actually do this.
According to Dr. Megan Conrad, a veterinary consultant at Hello Ralphie’s telehealth company that provides virtual care to pet owners in the United States, winking is intentional behavior with different meanings.
Depending on the situation, this behavior can be interpreted in different ways. It can be a sign of affection, a sign that the dog is at peace or asking for the attention of its owner. If this is an action that your pet often does, it can also be a sign of imitating the owner, as Dr. Conrad claims. Dogs can sometimes wink to show their submission to another dog or even a human.
In order to figure out the reason why your dog is doing this, his body language could help you with that. If the dog waves his tail high, with his ears erect as he winks, then it either shows interest or demands the owner’s attention. A dog that rolls on its back, squats, or strokes your legs with his tail that may indicate that he is submissive. Also, maybe your dog just wants to tell you that he loves you if he winks playfully.
However, it is necessary to pay attention because frequent winking, especially with the same eye, can be a sign of a problem. Dogs may tend to close their eyes if they feel discomfort, pain, or are sensitive to light. Also, another more serious reason that can produce frequent winking and blinking can be entropion – a genetic disease or condition of the eyelids that in most cases affects breeds of dogs with fuller faces and shorter noses, such as the Chow Chow breed.
Of course, as humans do, many dogs can blink or wink if their eyes have come in contact with hair, dirt, or dust. If you notice discharge from the eye, involuntary or increased blinking, red eye or anything resembling an eye injury, be sure to take your pet to the vet.