When I was raising a dog, one of his behaviors that always confused me was the all-too-familiar head tilt that all dogs do from time to time.
But I was always confused about what it meant. As a child I thought it was a confused reaction to a strange sound, so we tried to imitate the sound to see if he would do it again, but he never did.
Why do dogs do this? Why? In this article, we’ll look at some of the reasons why.
It helps them to listen.
Pitbull tilted his head.
In some cases, but not always, hearing loss can cause head tilt. How? Dogs technically hear better than us because they can pick up more sounds, but they are nothing like us.
Our ears allow us to hear multiple sounds from all directions, and we have earmuffs to prevent this. If you think about how this affects your dog’s behavior, according to animal behaviorist Jill Goldman, dogs sometimes tilt their heads to better pick up every sound.[1]
The human behavior that usually triggers this response could be a strange noise or a dog owner talking to the child, which is very common.
Head tilt and vision
Some researchers believe that head tilt can also be caused by the sight of a dog. Dr. Stanley Coren In psychology, it is believed that dogs sometimes tilt their heads to better interpret body language.[2]
What exactly does that mean? In his research, he suggests that dogs analyze more than just faces when trying to understand people. A person’s body language also plays an important role here. So if the bot blocks the owner’s entire field of vision, the owner can tilt their head to get a better view.
Since many dogs have different noses, this can sometimes be a problem for them.
Is it okay for a dog to do this?
Maltese dog lying on sofa at home
Of course, I think most of us would be concerned if this could have a negative impact on our dogs.
Not only does your dog look cute when he tilts his head, but there are no negative side effects. However, dogs can have an external ear infection that causes the head to tilt excessively. In this case, you may need a veterinary exam to be sure. In most cases, this is not a problem. So if he tilts his head, pet him to show him that you recognize him and that he’s listening carefully. you.
That said, more research is needed to fully understand this behavior. However, all signs point to dogs having a positive impact on both dogs and their owners. So the next time you see your dog tilting his head, give him a light pat on the head.
