But, I still think Lilah, our English Setter, has the best eye lingo.
I can tell when our dogs are happy, or fearful, or unsure, or excited, just by looking at their eyes. In the photo above, Lilah is fairly relaxed, but thinking about the treat I have in my hand. I am sure she is wondering when she will get it. Below, she is worried she might not get it. I know this because of her "setter lip" which means "I am worried," and by the expression in her eyes.
It's that half-lid thing that really kills me. Our cat Harry is an expert at cynicism and half-lidded eyes, but he was unavailable (I am sure he had a date with a chipmunk), So I took Barney into the studio for the first time to see what he might share in cat eye wisdom.
As you can see, Barney is the first to the food bowl and the last to leave. But, if he still had to catch his own food (he came to us as a stray, so I'm sure at one point he was out there hunting regularly) he would have no problem at all. Just look at that concentration.
The eyes of our pets have a lot to say.
And Barney is saying: "Are we done here?"