Your dog winking at you is one of the cutest acts to observe.
And if your dog does it quite often, you’re bound to get interested.
You must be thinking about what it could convey.
Why does my dog wink at me?
Dogs winking at you can mean a variety of things. Maybe it’s just an expression of their jolly mood. Perhaps it’s imitating you or trying to get your attention. But it could mean a health issue as well. Dogs with diseases like entropion, conjunctivitis, or dry eyes sometimes wink frequently.
All these could be possible reasons. Want to know why? Then keep reading this till the end.
Here we begin!
Possible Reasons Why Dogs Wink At You
As we mentioned, dogs blinking with one eye can have multiple reasons. Maybe it’s merely a new act it has picked up. It could be a health issue that needs medical attention.
We’ve listed down a few possible reasons for them. Make sure to go through all of them.
Health Issues
When your feline buddy keeps winking, it could be going through a health issue. After all, it’s not so typical that a dog blinks with one eye.
These are the possible health issue that your dog might be going through-
Entropion
If your dog keeps winking quite frequently, it could mean it’s suffering from entropion. It’s a common disease your pet might face. Although it’s curable, it’s painful and uncomfortable for our furry buddies.
Due to entropion, the eyelid of the dog is forced to fold inward. And when that happens, their eyelid rubs inside the eye. It creates a very uncomfortable and itchy sensation.
If your dog has entropion, visit a veterinarian. They wink their eyes to elevate the itching of the eye. If not treated timely, this could develop into an ulcer. It’ll be painful for your dog.
Almost all breeds of dogs can have this disease. But if your dog is of brachycephalic breed, be aware of this condition.
Conjunctivitis
Allergic conjunctivitis in dogs is quite similar to pink eye disease in humans. But the symptoms don’t match that of humans. A bacterial infection causes the eye to turn reddish or pink.
Conjunctivitis can happen in one eye too. The eyes get dry and itchy due to it. If your dog blinks with one eye, this could be why. Fortunately, it’s easy to identify and also easier to treat.
Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca/Dry Eyes
It sounds like a scary name. Dry eye or Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca is another eye disease of our pet friends. It happens due to the lack of tear production in the tear gland.
As a result, they blink their eyes more often. The condition can affect a single eye, making them wink at you. If you see them doing it with the same eye, visit a veterinarian.
Ignoring it can develop further complexities for your dog.
Imitation
Now that the scary talks are over let’s talk about some light reasons. Just because your dog is winking doesn’t mean it’s affected by the disease. Sometimes it’s more of an instinct or a behavioral change.
Dogs are rather intelligent companions. They tend to understand human activities by observing them closely. Sometimes they even imitate human expressions to gain attention.
Maybe your dog has picked up this habit from seeing someone wink. It could be you or someone else. But the point is, it’s not something to worry about unless the winking is as frequent as normal blinking.
Expressing The Mood
When dogs are winking, they are in a good mood. Maybe it’s just having a great day with you by its side. They tend to express their happiness in many ways.
Dogs shaking their head, wagging tails, and winking means they are probably pleased—no need to worry about complicated stuff.
Submission
Eye contact in animals and humans differs by a great measure. For humans, it’s polite to look in the eye when talking to someone. But the same can mean a hostile scenario for dogs or other animals.
Their eye contact with others means a declaration of dominance over the pack. Cats and dogs often display this kind of gesture towards new animals.
Maybe your dog responded to your eyes with a winking to your gaze. It can be an act of breaking eye contact. Meaning it regards you as superior.
Also, your dog loves you. It doesn’t want to fight you.
Seeking Attention
Your dog winking can mean an ulterior motive also. Dogs tend to repeat the gestures that make their owner react well. Maybe it’s just a move to get your attention.
Maybe it wants head pats or more treats. In addition to winking, it may act cute, like laying the dog’s head on you. Perhaps it’s just hinting to you to play with it or go walking. You’ll know if you try to find out.
What To Do If Dogs Wink Too Much?
Dog winking often is considered normal behavior. But if it suddenly starts winking too much, you should look further into it. Even if it’s not a health issue, getting rid of the suspicion is better.
Take your dog to a vet and check out the eye condition. Look out for any sign of allergy, itching, or inflammation. Also, feed vegetables, fish, and fruits to your dog regularly.
Feeding fruits like papaya to your dog is incredibly beneficial. Since it’s rich in vitamin A and other nutrients. Also, you can try feeding these dog foods:
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They have a good amount of vitamins and nutrition for their eyes.
FAQs
Can my dog have glaucoma if it winks pretty often?
There’s a possibility that your dog is suffering from glaucoma if it winks a lot. It’s an eye condition where the tear gland lacks to produce tears. It makes their eyes squint more than the average count. This may happen to only one eye as well. To be sure, take your dog to a vet.
Can you teach your dog to wink back?
Yes, dogs can be taught to wink back. The teaching process goes similar to how you teach them commands like “sit” or “eat”. Please reward them every time they make it suitable. It’ll get them motivated.
Does your dog winking have anything to do with Blepharospasm?
Your dog may wink due to Blepharospasm. It’s an eye condition that happens due to some underlying issues. It’s caused by malfunctioning some specific part of one’s brain. Blepharospasm may be a reason why it winks.
