42. Observing Eye Contact in Dogs for Better Connection

May is Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to reflect on what helps us feel seen, safe, and connected. And sometimes, the most powerful connection doesn’t need words at all. It begins with eye contact. In this episode, Brenda reflects on the power of eye contact and what it tells us about connection, safety, and trust—both in our relationships with people and with animals. We often think of eye contact as a simple social skill, but it’s so much more than that. It plays a key role in human development, emotional regulation, and communication. And as Brenda shares, it appears it may act in similar ways for animals. Brenda walks through two studies that explore how dogs respond to human behavior—especially in moments when they need help or when we show affection in ways that might not feel safe to them. One study shows how dogs use eye contact to signal that they’re stuck and need human assistance. Another reminds us that common gestures like hugging, petting, and rough play might feel comforting to us, but can actually stress out our animal companions. This conversation is an invitation to slow down and pay attention. If we’re going to ask animals to partner with us—especially in therapeutic settings—we have to be willing to learn how they communicate, what their signals mean, and how to respond in ways that support trust instead of assuming it. By understanding non-verbal communication across species, we don’t just become better practitioners—we become better humans. www.connectiontherapypodcast.com Follow Brenda on Instagram @theconnectiontherapypodcast References: Cavalli, C., Carballo, F., Dzik, M. V., & Bentosela, M. (2020). Gazing as a help requesting behavior: A comparison of dogs participating in animal-assisted interventions and pet dogs. Animal Cognition, 23(1), 141–147. https://doi-org.pgi.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s10071-019-01324-8 Walsh, E. A., Meers, L. L., Samuels, W. E., Boonen, D., Claus, A., Duarte-Gan, C., Stevens, V., Contalbrigo, L., & Normando, S. (2024). Human-dog communication: How body language and non-verbal cues are key to clarity in dog directed play, petting and hugging behaviour by humans. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. https://doi-org.pgi.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2024.106206