Researchers conducted an experiment to determine whether dogs’ blinking patterns are influenced by human blinking behavior. The study, published in Royal Society Open Science, involved analyzing 35 dogs of various breeds as they watched video recordings displaying different blinking patterns.
In the experiment, each dog viewed two 40-second videos showing three individuals: their owner and two unfamiliar people. One video depicted the humans blinking once every three seconds, while the other showed them with a fixed gaze and no blinking. The analysis revealed that dogs increased their blinking frequency when the on-screen humans blinked compared to when they maintained a still gaze.
Upon closer examination, the effect appeared specific to interactions with owners. Dogs showed increased blinking rates only when observing their owners’ blink behavior and did not display this response when watching unfamiliar individuals. Researchers found no evidence that dogs synchronized their blinking directly with human blinking patterns, and the increased blinking rates were not attributable to dogs simply looking at their owners for extended periods.
Lead researcher Dr. Chiara Canori from the University of Parma emphasized that while the findings demonstrate dogs’ sensitivity to human blinking, the study does not establish that individual blinks convey specific meanings. Instead, blinking appears to function as a subtle form of social feedback that may influence attention levels and help coordinate interactions, particularly with socially important partners. Canori cautioned against interpreting dog blinks as deliberate communication, noting that blinking is fundamentally an automatic behavior necessary for eye health.
Commentators noted the study successfully isolated human blinking as a variable in dog-human interaction, though they suggested future research might examine whether human blinking patterns themselves change during social exchanges with dogs.
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