Dogsey

Totally agree with this with Bernese anyway. They are a breed which are well known for recognising your facial expressions.
I often say to Dillon when completely frustrated with him watch my face not Lynn's happy face its Lynn's cross face.
He hangs his head lowers his eyes and becomes very submissive almost looks like he is saying I am sorry.

I am sure we have all known this for years but of course somebody had to make money out of it. We could all be rich if we were scientists or wrote books about it. It is not just facial expressions but body language and with us feeling anger maybe at what our dog has done we give off pheremones as well that they can smell and detect.

'No surprise there then' ...
I discovered about 50 years ago that if I adopted a cross face I could make my dogs ears go up and down and a 'whale eye' expression to be adopted..

If I frown, the dogs more or less run for cover, even though I am not usually angry at them and I never shout at them or hit them. They can just sense I wish to be left alone. Admittedly, I am pure terror when angry.

A hard look at Ben with a raised eyebrow, and he licks his lips as an appeasement gesture!!

I think dogs read a lot from eyes. A smile softens the eyes whereas a frown 'hardens' them.

I know when I was working with dogs that the eyes told me just as much, if not more, about intentions than body language although, of course, the overall picture told more

Eyes are very important - both our eyes to the dog, and vice versa. I know exactly when I am pushing Ben too far all by his eyes - the state of his pupils, whether they are dilated or not, how much white if any is showing, and as you say the "softness" - his eyes go hard when he is uncomfortable.

Georgina's eyes being hooded are hard to see as are
Gwylim's who's fringe hides his eyes. Georgina though always knows when I'm cross with her because she'll spend the next few hours studiously avoiding me!

Tell us something we've known for years...I feel it's much deeper than merely reading expressions. How many times have you been in a bad way and a dog head or whole cat magically appear in your lap? They know instinctively, our critters can read us better than other humans.