Why Does My Dog Stare at Me when I Sleep?

Imagine this. You are sleeping in your bed peacefully and suddenly when you open your eyes in the middle of the night and find someone is staring at you… 

Have you ever wondered why does my dog stare at me when I sleep? Then you’re in right place. The situation may look creepy but it’s not. Trust me there are many reasons why your dog stares at you at night. Dog’s doesn’t communicate as human do, therefore, staring is another way of communicating. It’s their way of keeping you protected and connecting with you.

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All the good things in life don’t come up with an instruction manual, it comes unsaid and with odd and quirky behavior. So, if you are still tense about why my dog stares at me at night then in this article I’ll explain to you all the varied reasons for his behavior. 

Here we will discuss why your dog loves to stare at you all the time. These reasons will help you to figure out the main cause and the intentions behind it. 

What Does It Mean When a Dog Stares at You? 

Do you observe your dog? Or, do you look into his eyes? If you do then you might know what his stare means. There is no one particular reason “why my dog stares at me when I sleep?” They either want to communicate with you or wait for us to love them. 

Dogs don’t talk like you and I do, or either they talk in English, Spanish, or any other language. Now, we don’t understand dogs’ barking language. Then how do our dogs and we communicate? Body language is the most powerful language of communication between two. From your dog’s facial expression and body positions, you can understand his emotions. 

How do you read a person’s mind? You look directly into his eye, right? Similarly, a dog’s eye and his stare are a window to all his words. If you find your dog is looking at you with narrowed eyes then he must be angry, sometime he might be confused too. If their eyes are wide then that means he is happy and wants to play with you, sometimes he might also feel tired. 

Therefore, to know what his stare means try to read his body language. Let me explain to you with an example, if your pooch eyes are narrowed, ears are flat against their head, and stand nervously, it is likely they are fierce at you. On the contrary, if your pooch eyes are narrowed and have a relaxed body language, they might be simply tired and want to rest. 

The third way you can understand the meaning of his stare is by looking at the dimension of your pooch eyes or his pupils. Pupils of our eyes are influenced by emotional wellbeing. Look into his eyes and try to read him. All these may sound a little too much, but believe me, if you love him then just observe his behavior you will understand everything. 

The last answer to your question “why does my dog lay and stare at me” knows the situation he is in. For example, you just came back from the office after 9 hours; you might find your dog looking at you with anticipation. Again, if a stranger comes to your house and you talk to them and your dog stares at you, which could be the dog wanting to protect you from the stranger. 

Sometimes puppies bite when excited or behave strangely. You just have to study him better. The above factors are the answer to your question: why does my dog stare at me when I sleep? Now let’s look in-depth!

Why Does My Dog Watch Me Sleep?

Here are the possible reasons for your question “why does my dog look at me when I’m sleeping?” 

1. Your Dog Wants Food: 

Yes, sometimes the only intent of stare is for having food. In the morning you will find your dog staring at you because they want you to feed them. They don’t bark to wake you up, instead, they will only stare at you. They do this out of routine timetable because the first thing they do after getting up is to have food. 

Your canine friend is cunning and he knows that if he stares longer at you then you will engage with him by rewarding him. He doesn’t care if you’re sleeping or not. Sometimes out of guilt trips you give him what he wants without thinking of the time. 

2. Your Dog Wants to Hug You:

What made you think only humans can be clingy? You were wrong, my friend. Your dog knows all the art of clinginess. They want attention, kisses, love, a hug, or a simple pat on the head. They want to play with you. Therefore, they simply stare at you to encourage you to get up and engage with them. 

But once you encourage such behavior he will get addicted to it. So resist yourself and go back to sleep again. Your dog is just manipulating you with his eyes. The last thing you want is to play with your dog at 3 Am in morning. 

3. Your Dog Has Nothing to Do, Bored:

Dogs go through an emotional rollercoaster similarly as humans do. Hence, dogs get bored and it will be foolish of you if you expect him to run around every corner of the house at this time. Instead, your pooch prefers to look at you and stare at you. This boredom comes if he is not exercising a lot and spends the whole day sitting around. 

To fix his boredom take him out for a walk or run before hitting the bed. This will also help his overall health and quality sleep. If he gets excited while playing or tries to climb your head you should know how to calm your dog. Even after an increased amount of physical activity still, he is bored then you should take him to the doctor. 

4. Your Dog is Nervous: 

Do you know why dogs stare at you when you sleep? This is because your pooch has gone through some horrible experiences or suffered abandonment. Sometimes they try to sleep in between your legs to find a safe place. Normally, this is very common among rescued dogs.

Suddenly, they may start sleep beside you at night. They suffer from trust issues and often fear sleeping alone. Your dog feels vulnerable at night and he stares at you with a sign of anxiety. 

The key here is constantly looking after your dog and slowly establishing love and a bond of trust with your dog. You should make your dog more homely, safe, and loved. When you sleep he feels nervous and scared to be alone. Therefore, you should know when you can move the puppy crate out of the bedroom. 

5. Your Dog Wants to Be Your Savior:

Did you know your pooch is the most loyal friend in this entire universe? No matter how much you scold him or put him away, he will get back to you. Did you watch the movie “Hachi: A dog’s tale”? He is the most faithful animal and wants to protect you from every evil. This is an inherent trail of your baby and is always there for you. 

Your dog loves you the most and they want to be by your side all the time. When you’re sleeping they just look at you. This is their way of reciprocating love and belonging to stay also at your vulnerable stage. 

Read Also: Why Does My Dog Bury His Head in Me?

6. Your Dog is Smelling Danger: 

Another reason your dog is staring at you at night is maybe he heard a noise, a sound, a weird animated object, or a shadow of someone which they see as a threat. If you discover that your dog is staring and feeling confused then it’s time for you to go around the house and ensure that things are “OKAY”. 

Your dog is your alarm guard and will stand in front of you no matter what happens. In many cases, dogs also come in front of you and check that you’re breathing or not. Where will you find such a faithful friend? 

7. Your Dog Might Be Sick:

Yes, you heard it right. He might be sick and you have to take care of that. Your pup might be suffering from Dementia. It is a disease that disturbs the cognitive aspect of your pooch brain. Staring or other compulsive behavior is a side effect of this disease. If your dog has arthritis or suffering from heartworm disease then also he will find it difficult to find a comfortable position to sleep. 

If your dog suffers from hypothyroidism then it is obvious that he will find it difficult to sleep at night and have nothing to do other than stare at you. In this case, your dog’s body has difficulty metabolizing food. 

8. Your Dog is a Replica of Your Habits:

Do you know that dogs can pick up on the energy they are around? They are in tune with the body language of the person they stay with. They observe you so well that they know when you’re sick, happy, angry, or depressed. They know when their owner will feed them, love them, and put them on a leash or anything. 

Your small signal or eye movement is enough to give him the hint of what you want. Therefore, when you sleep those eyes study you thoroughly. They study your body language and they know what your next move will be. 

Why Does My Dog Stare at Me When I Sleep? 

Now you know there are various reasons why your dog stares at you at night. Therefore you can follow the following steps to take care of it and help him to sleep tight at night. 

Step 1: Feed him properly before going to sleep.

Step 2: Follow a timetable or a routine.

Step 3: Make sure you give him a comfortable bed or a blanket to sleep.

Step 4: Take care of your dog’s health. Go for a routine check-up.

Step 5: Place their bed in a quiet place away from city commotion. 

Read Next:

• Why Does My Dog Bite Me When Excited?
• Why Does My Dog Headbutt Me?
• How to Calm a Male Dog when a Female is in Heat
• How to Go for a Long Car Ride with Puppy
• 8 Reasons Why Is My Dog Growling at Nothing?

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