(Photo credit: ozgurcankaya / Getty Images)

Dog Goes Viral for Death Stare

By Erica Rivera

miniature poodle dog goes viral for death stare
(Photo credit: ozgurcankaya / Getty Images)

Every dog has its own unique way of getting their owner to do their bidding. Maybe it’s doe eyes. Perhaps it’s a paw tenderly placed on the knee. It could be a little nudge with the snout. Others are less delicate, and even a little threatening, when it comes to getting what they want. But one Toy Poodle, known on TikTok as @poodletoyromeo, has gone viral for their “death stare.”

In the funny clip, a brown Toy Poodle sits facing their owner, who is off-camera, recording. The canine seemingly bores holes into their owner’s face. The camera zooms in closer. The caption reads: “This is how my dog behaves when he wants to poo super badly in the morning. He wakes up, jumps out of bed and does a death stare at me until I get up.”

@poodletoyromeo So… guess who always win this death stare #fypシ #toypoedel #foryou #toypoodle #funnydog #deathstare #earlymorningfunnies ♬ Funny – Gold-Tiger

Dog owners chime in

Though this wake-up call is unnerving, it’s not unusual. The comments section was filled with fellow owners who also get the “death stare” from their dogs.

“Omg is this a poodle thing? My mini does this too but he will get closer to my face,” @Yasyas800 wrote.

“My schnauzer sticks his face in the door seam and stands like a statue till I let him out,” @Lynn3 offered.

“Same with my Cavapoo,” @Btied offered. “I taught her from a pup to ring the bell but I guess she’d rather eyeball me.”

How do I know my dog needs to go out?

Not every dog uses the death stare to communicate. According to the Humane Society, some signs your dog needs to go out include:

  • Barking
  • Scratching at the door
  • Squatting
  • Restlessness
  • Sniffing around
  • Circling

“When you see these signs, immediately grab the leash and take them outside to their bathroom spot,” the Humane Society advises. “If they eliminate, praise them and reward with a treat.”

Just like you, dogs shouldn’t have to wait to go to the bathroom! (Even if their death stare is hilarious.) For more on potty training, check out our step-by-step guides on housetraining for puppies and adult dogs!

Erica Rivera
Erica Rivera

Erica Rivera's freelance writing has appeared in New York magazine, USA Today, the Star Tribune, City Pages, and many other publications and anthologies. She has interviewed hundreds of artists, authors, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and changemakers over the course of her career. She is also the author of Insatiable (Penguin Group, 2009) and Come Again (Thought Catalog Books, 2015). For more, visit: www.ericarivera.net.

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