As someone who has spent countless hours gazing into my dog’s soulful eyes, I was thrilled to learn about groundbreaking research that confirms what many of us dog lovers have long suspected: our four-legged friends have sophisticated ways of communicating with each other that mirror our own subtle social cues.
A fascinating new study published today in Royal Society Open Science by researchers at the University of Parma has revealed that dogs engage in reciprocal blinking—they’re more likely to blink when watching videos of other dogs blinking. It’s a behavior that’s remarkably similar to how we humans unconsciously synchronize our blinks during conversation!
The research team, led by Chiara Canori, conducted a clever experiment with 54 dogs of various breeds. They showed these canine participants videos of other dogs either blinking, licking their noses, or simply looking attentively at the camera. What they discovered was remarkable—dogs blinked about 16% more when watching their fellow canines blink compared to other expressions.
What makes this discovery particularly exciting is that the dogs weren’t stressed while watching these videos—their heart rates remained stable, suggesting this wasn’t an anxiety response but rather a form of social communication. Just like how we might unconsciously mirror someone’s smile or posture during a friendly chat, our dogs appear to be engaging in their own version of nonverbal dialogue.
Interestingly, when the dogs watched videos of other dogs licking their noses (another common canine expression), they didn’t mirror that behavior. Instead, they showed more of their eye whites—a response that adds another intriguing layer to how dogs process and respond to different social signals from their peers.
As someone who shares their life with dogs, this research feels like a wonderful validation of what we’ve intuitively felt—that our furry friends are capable of deep, nuanced communication. It’s not just about the obvious tail wags and play bows; they’re picking up on and responding to incredibly subtle cues that we humans might easily miss.
The next time you catch your dog in a quiet moment with another canine companion, pay attention to those gentle blinks. You might just be witnessing a sophisticated conversation that’s been going on right under our noses all along. Who knew that something as simple as a blink could be part of the beautiful language of dog friendship?
This study opens up exciting new avenues for understanding our beloved pets. After all, every insight into how dogs communicate helps us better understand and appreciate these remarkable animals who share our lives and hearts. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go practice my blinking skills with my own four-legged friend!
Research Study Source:
Canori, C., Travain, T., Pedretti, G., Fontani, R., & Valsecchi, P. (February 19, 2025). If you blink at me, I’ll blink back. Domestic dogs’ feedback to conspecific visual cues. Royal Society Open Science, 241703. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.241703
