Preston,
my type of formal dog show portraits seldom have the dog looking directly at the camera -- at least with most breeds. But I can see the issue with other portraits. Like I said, when given the room, I'll always opt for a two light setup at 45 degrees to the subject. That usually minimizes or eliminates the eye problems. You do have me wondering what would happen with Bulldogs which we pose almost head-on to the camera.

Jim