The linear stability boundaries of journal bearings lubricated with a non-Newtonian fluid have been investigated in this paper. Based on the Rabinowitsch fluid model, a non-Newtonian dynamic Reynolds equation for journal bearings is derived and then applied to analyze the linear dynamic characteristics of short journal bearings. Comparing with the Newtonian-lubricant case, the non-Newtonian rheology of dilatant lubricants provides a larger area of linearly stable region. However, the non-Newtonian properties of pseudo-plastic lubricants results in a reverse trend for the short journal bearing.