“Puppy-dog eyes” is the common name for the dog facial expression that raises the inner eyebrows and widens the eyes.
The movement makes a dog’s face appear more infant-like and can attract human attention. Research comparing dogs and wolves found that dogs have a small facial muscle used to raise the inner eyebrow that is less developed or absent in wolves. This difference has been discussed as an example of how domestication may have favored communication with people.
Dogs communicate through a combination of facial movement, posture, vocalization, scent, and gaze. An eyebrow raise does not have one universal meaning in every situation: context, the dog’s body position, and its relationship with the observer all matter.
The expression should not be confused with the play bow, in which a dog lowers its front end while keeping the hindquarters raised. The play bow is mainly a posture associated with invitations to play, not a facial signal.