If you’ve ever found yourself calling your dog repeatedly, only to have them ignore you, don’t feel bad—you’re not alone. A new study might just have the answer to why your dog sometimes tunes you out and how to get their attention in the best way possible.
Researchers at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna have found that combining eye contact and pointing can be a game-changer in dog communication. Their findings were published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences and could explain why pups might not always follow commands the way we’d like.
The Experiment
In the study, 20 dogs of various breeds participated in an experiment that tracked their eye movements through eye-tracking helmets to study where the dogs looked when confronted with different scenarios. Picture this: A scientist kneels in front of the dog, and two bowls are placed on either side of them. One bowl contains a hidden treat, and the other is empty.
The dogs were presented with five setups, each repeated six times. The scientists would either:
- Point at the bowl while making eye contact with the dog.
- Point at the bowl while looking at it.
- Only look at the bowl; or
- Pretend to throw a ball, but keep it hidden in their hand
The experiment yielded that the dogs were most likely to follow directions when the scientist both pointed and stared at the bowl with the treat. On the other hand, the trick where the scientist pretended to throw a ball—surprisingly, that confused the dogs the most.
Canine Communication
Why does this matter? The study suggests that dogs are not just blindly following the direction we point. Instead, they might be interpreting the meaning behind our actions. Lead researcher Christoph Voelter explained that dogs could understand gestures similarly to how children understand language—by associating gestures with meaning. Voelter further emphasized, “The owner’s gaze and gesture are useful separately, but combined they are stronger,” he told AFP, highlighting why combining eye contact with pointing could be more effective than either cue alone.
For the researchers, this finding supports the idea that dogs follow human referential communication cues, rather than simply responding to directional ones. In other words, the dogs might understand that the gesture is directing them toward something meaningful—like a treat—rather than just running in a particular direction. This suggests that dogs may not be following orders mindlessly but interpreting them as a form of communication.
However, the researchers were careful not to draw any hasty conclusions. Exactly how much the dogs understood remains an open question. Voelter noted, “Is it for them more like an imperative directive to go somewhere? Or do they understand it more in a communicative way?”
Dog Owners, Listen Up
For dog owners, this study is a reminder that dogs are not only smart but also sensitive to how humans communicate. It might be time to start combining eye contact with clear hand gestures when communicating with our beloved pets for practice. Who knows, your pup might just be the next canine communication expert!
