Staring directly

A prolonged and intense gaze directly into the eyes of an opponent or toward a point in space. The dog may shift the direction of his gaze. Often the pupils are dilated, and the dog's body stiffens. This behaviour may precede an attack or a face-off.
(van den Berg et al., 2003; Koler-Matznick et al., 2005; Capra, 2010)

This American Bulldog is staring at the artifical hand used during a behavioural evaluation.

VIDEO

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The younger of the two Golden Retrievers (Tulip) has taken possession of a few plastic bottles. The second Retriever (Ghost) observes from a distance. When Ghost stares towards the plastic bottle on the ground behind the younger dog, Tulip orients his gaze toward the same object. Ghost approaches, stops, and Tulip looks at Ghost, then barks, gets up and re-positions himself near the bottle. Ghost pins his ears back, and re- orients toward the bottle that the younger dog has just abandoned. Tulip approaches at a trot, lowering his tail and stiffening. Ghost stops over the object; Tulip stands still and closes his eyes. Tulip re-orients toward his opponent and lies down, then starts chewing on the plastic bottle. Ghost turns his head and stares at Tulip; at the moment in which he picks up the bottle and lies down, Tulip gets up and growl-barks twice. Ghost drops the bottle in front of Tulip and looks at him. The younger dog lunges forward, exhibiting an open-mouth display, a subdued growl-bark, agonistic pucker and direct stare and flicks his tongue. Ghost doesn't avert his gaze; when the younger dog de-escalates, he looks away. Ghost looks at the younger dog three times; Tulip shakes off and moves away.

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Video filmed during an evaluation. I am holding a tennis ball in my left hand, holding the young female Border Collie's lead with my arm held stiffly to avoid being attacked in the face. The Border Collie wags her tail, then stares into my eyes. When I reciprocate and stare back at her, the dog stiffens and hardens her eye, then looks away, then exhibits direct eye contact a second and third time. In the second clip, the male Pit Bull is sitting in a frontal position as an unfamiliar person approaches. When the person stops, the Pit Bull reacts with a direct stare, stiffening and hardening his gaze.

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