Dogs blink more often when they see owners blinking, study finds
Scientists say research suggests blinking may have acquired a social relevance in interactions between dogs and people
TL;DR
- Dogs blink more often when they see humans blinking on video compared to when humans do not blink.
- This increased blinking occurs specifically when dogs see their owners blinking, not when they see strangers blinking.
- The findings suggest that the social relevance of the interacting partner influences a dog's blinking rate.
- While dogs appear sensitive to human blinking, the study did not find evidence of blinking synchronization between dogs and humans.
- The researchers propose that blinking may have acquired a social relevance, potentially offering subtle feedback on attention or engagement during interactions.