A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Parma suggests that dogs may use eye blinking as a subtle form of communication with their human companions. The research, published in Royal Society Open Science, found that dogs blinked more frequently when observing their owners blink compared to watching strangers or unblinking faces.
The experiment involved 35 pet dogs shown videos featuring three individuals: their owner, an unfamiliar woman, and an unfamiliar man. The subjects were presented with two types of video clips—one in which each person blinked once every three seconds, and another where the individuals maintained a neutral expression with unblinking eyes. Researchers recorded the dogs’ blinking responses throughout the viewing sessions.
Results showed that dogs increased their blinking rate when watching blinking faces, but only in the presence of their owners. This effect was more pronounced when the owner was female. The study’s lead author, Chiara Canori, noted that blinking might play a role within dogs’ behavioral repertoire in social contexts, possibly serving as an affiliative signal directed toward humans they recognize and trust. However, the authors emphasized that the limited sample size and experimental design do not definitively prove that dogs use blinking intentionally to convey emotional messages.
The findings contribute to a broader body of research investigating how domestic animals respond to human facial expressions and nonverbal cues. Previous studies have demonstrated similar communicative behaviors in cats. For instance, in 2020, a study found that domestic cats respond to slow blinking—a form akin to a relaxed eye narrowing by humans—which is believed to promote positive interactions.
Beyond felines, other species also show sensitivity to human emotional displays. Goats, for example, have been observed to approach images of happy strangers more readily than angry ones. Horses’ heart rates increase when exposed to photos of angry humans, and they have been reported to remember and adjust their behavior toward individuals based on prior emotional displays. Similarly, recent research involving cattle revealed that cows spend more time near people who had previously shown joyful expressions compared to those who appeared angry.
Together, these studies suggest a range of domestic animals may be attuned to human facial cues and expressions, potentially facilitating social bonding between species. While the mechanisms and intent behind these responses require further investigation, the blink reflex in dogs may represent an additional channel in the complex communication between humans and their companion animals.