Dogs produce a wider range of facial expressions when a human is looking directly at them, reveals new research from the University of Portsmouth's Dog Cognition Centre. Our team provides the first clear scientific evidence that dogs deliberately move their faces in response to human attention. Importantly, dogs showed no increase in expressions when presented with appealing food, confirming these behaviors are for communication rather than simple excitement. The most common expression was raising the eyebrows to create those irresistible 'puppy dog eyes.'
We studied 24 pet dogs of various breeds, aged 1 to 12 years. Each was held on a three-foot leash by a human, with interactions filmed as the person faced the dog, then became distracted or turned away. Expressions were rigorously analyzed using DogFACS, an anatomically precise coding system that standardizes measurements of facial muscle movements for reliable, objective results.
'We knew domestic dogs are highly sensitive to human attentiveness—for example, prior work from our centre showed they steal more food when eyes are closed or backs turned, and follow gazes after making eye contact,' explains the research team. 'This study advances canine cognition research: dogs now proven to amplify facial expressions specifically for attentive humans.'
