It takes time to get to know a dog, but it’s of optimum importance to a dog’s happiness that their owner takes the time to learn as much as possible about the quirks, characteristics, and the thought processes happening in their canine’s mind, writes Rosie Tilley
I often wonder what’s going on behind Mishka’s gorgeous big brown eyes. What is she thinking? How is she feeling? How much does she comprehend the life of the people around her?
When I first rescued her, she was very afraid. A dog’s eyes tell us a lot you see, and through my canine behaviour studies, I learnt to understand what she was experiencing mentally through her physical behaviour, and, in particular, by looking into her eyes. Being able to better gauge her emotions has always been extremely useful when adjusting my approach to her rehabilitation, helping me to make a plan of action to tackle her fears and triggers. Newly rescued, she was an anxious bundle of nerves, her eyes, more often than not, wide, showing white out of fear. This was near constant in the early days. Still to this day, I see the look of fear return to her eyes briefly when she is frightened, startled, or worried. However, what I once feared would be impossible to change, with time and persistence, became a completely different story. Mishka seemed like a different dog. I saw a brand-new spark in those eyes of hers, something other than fear. Once she began to feel safe with me, she showed her true colours, and became a happy, bright-eyed girl with a gaze showing a relaxed, safe, and content attitude. It was shortly after this that she began to pick up on my emotions and to understand me, just as I had understood her. If I was sad, Mishka could tell. If I was feeling worried, she’d know, and she’d be right there beside me to provide comfort during my time of need.
Unlike many dogs, she will often hold eye contact with me for long periods of time. Many dogs, I’ve learnt in my studies, feel that direct eye contact is a threat, and so avoid it at all costs. Mishka is quite the opposite.
She isn’t afraid to look deep into my eyes, seemingly trying to work out my emotions. A very smart dog in my opinion! Her hazel brown eyes were the first thing I noticed when I met her, and I never tire of gazing into them. I can’t say exactly what she’s thinking (though it very often seems to be “Snacks?!”) I feel that after spending every day, for the past five years, by her side, I am slowly beginning to work out this sweet, gentle soul, who has done so much to help me (and still does!) in the short time we’ve been a team.
As I’ve mentioned before, in previous articles, this girl is my best friend. It’s taken us a long time to build us bond, and we are still learning more about each other every day. It takes time to get to know a dog, whether it be from puppy-hood, or through rescuing a dog, but I feel that it’s of optimum importance to a dog’s happiness that their owner takes the time to learn as much as possible about the quirks, characteristics, and the thought processes happening in their canine’s mind. Perhaps they show fear, which, once recognised, can be faced and conquered by hatching a plan to work on it together. Perhaps they, similarly to Mishka, have the astounding ability to read their owners emotions through eye contact! In which case, you are very lucky to have such a hound, and I’d encourage you to use this to connect to each other, and to deepen the bond you have together. You know your dog, and by reading their eyes, as well as their actions, you can begin to understand them fully.
When Mishka looks at me, I often think how human she appears. Intuitive, alert, loving, compassionate…I feel my dog is very in touch with her own emotions, as well as mine, and of the people close to us. I love this wonderful girl for her happy-go-lucky attitude to life, her delicate nature, but even more so, for her astounding ability to support me emotionally, and to connect with me through her beautiful, big, brown eyes.
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