Why dogs tilt their heads to the side when listening to their owners: it's very simple

Dogs have one very sweet habit that can touch almost anyone. When they listen to their owner or another person talking to them, they tilt their heads to the side. Have you ever wondered where this reflex could have come from?

It is very difficult to give an exact answer to this question. But Sante Plus has collected several possible versions.

It's easier to hear

One of the assumptions is that this is how the dog tries to hear your words better. Dogs' hearing is quite acute, but not perfect, so they tilt their heads to the side to better understand where this interesting sound is coming from? Is it really a person who sounds like that? You can compare the situation to trying to hear something when someone is speaking an unfamiliar language. You also strain your ears to catch at least one familiar word, and make various head movements.

This theory is supported by the fact that dogs with long, floppy ears are more likely to bow their heads. In this way, they open one of the ear canals so that sound can enter it without interference.

It's easier to see

For animals, the body language of the person interacting with them is very important, so your dog wants to get a better look at you when you talk to him. But in those breeds that have a long muzzle, the view can be obstructed by the nose. To at least partially get rid of the visual obstacle between him and you, the dog tilts his head so that he can better see your behaviour during communication.

To test this theory for yourself, simply put a clenched fist to your own nose - this will allow you to mimic the structure of a dog's muzzle. You will notice how much smaller the view becomes. When you look at another person, it will be difficult to see their eyes and mouth at the same time. And if you tilt your head, the task will be much easier.

This is how they are loved more

Dogs are contact animals, and they enjoy praise and affection. And when a dog tilts its head, you just want to say something nice to it or pat it on the head. So they learnt this charming gesture to get additional approval from humans. And the dogs could have picked it up from humans - we often bow our heads when we listen to someone we like.

If you notice that your dog tilts his head but doesn't listen to you, this is a reason to suspect a problem with the animal's health. It could be an ear infection or hearing loss. In this case, of course, you need to see a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL told you how to protect your dog from dangerous tick bites.

Subscribe to OBOZREVATEL's Telegram and Viber channels to keep up with the latest news.