I don't know, but my dog wouldn't do it if you were looking at her. Maybe they'd like some privacy?

Because they feel tortured when someone is looking at them when they poop, lol

I don't know but I have wondered about it myself. Maybe it's a leftover survival instinct to look for predators that could take them out while they are vulnerable?

LOL That's a good question. I've noticed that with our Cocker Spaniel. I think he's embarrassed at us looking at him. My guess. But, man, is he ever happy that it's over! :-D

They think it is a little weird that you are watching that close as they don't spy on you and your bathroom habits. Actully seems to me it varies - I have a lab that is always looking around like there is something else she needs to smell or eat and just wants to hurry up. My Aussie always seemed like it was taking time away from her bossing of others and was always looking around to see what needed to be tended to - but than I'm seeing this with my human perspective, not as a canine. +5

My guess is that over many, many years, dogs have been swatted for pooping in the wrong places, so they now have this inbred reaction and are not really sure if the current squat is an OK place or not!

I've never noticed a "guilty look" (although dogs do not feel guilt, that is a human emotion, not a canine one). Dogs can and DO feel STRESS when they have been taught that certain NATURAL canine behaviors can earn them a humans ire, annoyance, or out right anger...and then even though they are going poop in an ACCEPTED space, the human is WATCHING them do it...that is actually a stress reaction...not guilt. What I've noticed with my Hannah and rather a few other dogs over the many years...is some (mostly funny, unless it is raining, and we currently do not have a FENCED in yard...so needs must JOIN our dogs out in whatever type of weather is currently happening)...is an ALMOST PROFOUND urgency to find what I call MAGIC POOPY SPOT! WHAT is MAGIC POOPY SPOT? Who the hell knows aside from the dog doing the SEEKING (as if looking for the answer to LIFE ITS SELF). I have made note...(over the years) that MAGIC POOPY SPOT may or MAY NOT have ANYTHING TO DO with the end of the dog PRODUCING A POOPY! For example....Hannah assuredly does NOT WANT to hunch up and prepare to set free, her poopy....if there is something POKING HER in her "nether" regions! NO INDEED...NOT A WEED, NOT A SINGLE BLADE OF GRASS...there must NOT be poking of any item or plant life to her buttocks! THEN AGAIN.... MAGIC POOPY SPOT... CANNOT BE....just any old SPOT! Often with PROLONGED DILIGENCE (while I chant helplessly...But with the most POSITIVE AND ENCOURAGING tone of voice possible...sometimes at 0330 if need be...."Ok, lets go POOP! Hurry up, GO POOP! Come on Hannah, hurry up, GO POOP! POOP! POOP! Lets go POOP! (TICK, TICK, TICK, TICK, TICK!) For the love of GOD Hannah...do you need to poop or are we on a hunt for the Holy Grail here? Hmmm...it's pouring rain, I'm cold...TAKE A POOP...WILL YOU PLEASE!) She sniffs, she starts to squat in a nice hunched up position that promises HOPE ETERNAL THAT THE SHOW IS ABOUT TO BEGIN....only....to forgo the delights of moving her bowel to SEARCH SOME MORE.....because OBVIOUSLY....that spot....is NOT Magic Poopy spot at all.... And the hunt begins again...with my rising hopes for success because now it is VERY CLEAR that there IS, in fact, a poop....awaiting release! (At the RIGHT SPOT ON THE GROUND!) From what I've seen....I'm confused.... I would love to UNDERSTAND...WHAT EXACTLY... the spot in front of her nose.....has to do with the spot that her POOP WILL FALL UPON...BEHIND HER ASS? Ok...I'm willing to agree that if there was something disagreeable on the spot in front of her nose, she might not want to be parked there for very long, maybe not as long as it would take to actually poop...if the poop proved to be less willing to fall than one might hope for...and this COULD HAPPEN... although Hannah is RAW fed and normally has brilliant poops.... SOMETIMES... it is complicated by her having SWALLOWED (on a toy or some how...) one or two of my long blonde hairs...THIS... can cause a problem that ends up with A STRING OF PEARLS POOP....a turd that simply will not let go....it is DISTRESSING...(for both of us) because Hannah does not WANT to have a poop that refuses to fall to the ground...and for me, because it now means I must find a leaf BIG ENOUGH to grasp her poop and pull the OFFENDING STRING OF HAIR out of her butt! Not my idea of a good time...but a necessary task, since watching her wiggle and writhe and strain to push out an all but....well HAIR THIN strand is that much more time given to an adventure that isn't THAT much fun to begin with! Of course it isn't always THIS much excitement....on occasion....she will simply ask to go out...cop a squat and pee...then trot away from the pee, and IMMEDIATELY locate MAGIC POOPY SPOT....hunch and poop! Mission Accomplished! GOOD DOG HANNAH! But really....what's the big deal about how it smells in front? (she isn't exactly keeping her nose to the ground WHILE SHE POOPS!) I sometimes wonder if her interest in MY bathroom activities is a wonderment that I just go to the SAME PLACE... every time..to conduct my own excavations. WHO KNOWS!?!

id like to see your face when you squat to poop in public with someone staring at you to see the look on your face.

Lack of privacy!

I'm thinking they might be afraid you'll see what's left of your shoes.

I thought they were looking for an audience. Seriously...maybe it's because they're putting themselves in a vulnerable position, and they want to be sure there are no predators nearby.

They are looking wary because they feel vulnerable.