Anyone who walks a dog will recognise the moment: something unfamiliar appears — a noise, a strange object, another animal — and the dog stops and looks up at you. It is not just looking for attention. Research into canine behaviour suggests the dog is asking a question: is this safe?
Social referencing
When faced with something new, many dogs look back and forth between the unfamiliar thing and their owner. They read the person’s facial expression, voice and body language and use it to decide what to do.
- If the owner seems relaxed or positive, the dog is more likely to approach and investigate.
- If the owner seems tense or worried, the dog tends to hang back or avoid it.
Psychologists call this social referencing. It is the same thing young children do when they look at a parent before deciding whether to approach a stranger or touch an unfamiliar toy.
Only people they trust
Studies have found that dogs do not take their cue from just anyone. When the person reacting is a stranger, dogs’ behaviour barely changes, even if the stranger appears frightened or delighted. What matters is the bond: dogs rely on the people they know and trust as a source of information about the world.
What it means on your walks
Knowing this can make walks easier for you both.
- Stay calm. A relaxed posture tells your dog that there is nothing to fear and encourages it to explore.
- Use reassuring signals. A gentle voice or a relaxed stance can tell your dog it is fine to sniff that new lamp post or let a cyclist pass.
- Watch your own nerves. If you tense up every time another dog appears, your dog may learn to be wary too, even when there is no danger.
- Reward confident curiosity. When your dog checks in with you and then calmly investigates something new, praise or a treat reinforces the behaviour.
A conversation without words
That glance back is one of the clearest signs of the relationship between a dog and its owner. Your dog is using your reactions as a guide to the world — which means that how you respond on a walk helps shape how confident it becomes.
