Dogs may tear up from emotions like excitement, joy or relief during reunions with owners or playtime.
Happiness
Dogs are empathetic and may cry when owners are sad or when missing a companion.
Sadness
Anxiety, fear, guilt or nervousness can trigger excessive tear production in dogs.
Stress
Foreign objects, dry eye, or eye infections can cause watery eyes in dogs.
Eye Injury/Infection
Tears may overflow if a dog has obstructed or malfunctioning tear ducts.
Blocked Tear Ducts
Older dogs may develop loose eyelids or extra eye gland secretions.
Aging Changes
Along with context clues, check your dog's body language to gauge their emotional state.
Body Signals