whale eye

[ weyl ahy, hweyl ]

noun

, Animal Behavior.

1. the act of showing the whites of the eyes to indicate fear or anxiety:

   I could tell from my dog’s tense posture and whale eye that he was worried about what I might do next.

Word History and Origins

Origin of whale eye¹

First recorded in 2005–10

Example Sentences

A dog bugging its eyes to show the whites is a phenomenon called “whale eye” that may connote distress.

From New York Times

Madson said in the videos she's seen of the trend, she's noticed a lot of dogs exhibit "whale eye."

From Salon

As explained by the AKC, "whale eye" is a term used to describe when you can see the whites of your dog's eye, known as the sclera.

From Salon

I didn’t realize until recently that this is a phenomenon called “whale eye,” and it’s often a sign of doggie distress.

From New York Times

Figure out your dog’s individual signs of stress, such as panting, the position of the ears, or “whale eye,” when the whites of the eyes are showing, said Matt Beisner, the co-owner of The Zen Dog near Chinatown.

From Los Angeles Times