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Questions
- Why Do Dogs Tilt Their Heads?
- A Dog’s Head Tilt Could Indicate a Health Issue
As dog owners, we are endlessly amused by their cute little antics. They can get away with almost anything if they throw those puppy dog eyes at us and hit us with the cutest little head tilt. Many owners are besotted with their canine companions’ head tilt but are a little in the dark about what it means and what their beloved pets use it for. Shockingly, it’s not to bribe extra treats off you…usually.
We have all the information you need to know about the dog's head tilt, what causes it and what your dog is trying to communicate when they do it.
Why Do Dogs Tilt Their Heads?
There are several different reasons why dogs tilt their heads, and some are a little easier to work out than others. The world is a confusing place for pups who don’t communicate in the same way or speak our language, so it’s no wonder that they need to take a moment now and again to process that information.
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Your Pup is Interested or Curious
Dogs will often tilt their heads when they are interested in something. It generally happens when they might be experiencing something new and not quite understand what they are looking at or hearing.
The behaviour can be most seen in puppies due to so many things being new and interesting to them. As your four-legged friend gets older, fewer experiences are new or novel, so they may not take as much time to try and figure out what’s going on. A puppy might tilt its head at the sound of the bin lorry going past the house the first few times, but after a while, this will wear off because it becomes something they are used to, if not expect every week.
Some other noises may always illicit a head tilt from your canine companion, even into old age. Sometimes when you’re talking to them, they will do it when they’re trying to understand what we’re saying. Dogs will generally know certain trigger words, and this may be because we have trained them to understand, or they have become associated with something. If you say the word treat or walkies, they will often tilt their head and start wiggling their bums because they’re waiting to see if their expectations will be met.
They’re Trying to Locate a Noise
Dogs will also tilt their head when they hear a distant sound and they’re trying to work out where it came from. A dog’s hearing is vastly better than hours. While we struggle to hear sounds over the frequency of 20,000 Hertz, our canine companions can hear up to 65,000 Herts. Your pup may be tilting its head and trying to locate a sound that you are entirely unaware of.
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By tilting their head and moving around they are changing the direction that the sound enters they can better establish what it is and where it might be coming from.
It’s a Behaviour They’ve Learned.
Our beloved pets are always learning which sometimes works out very well for us and at other times can be detrimental. If your pup has managed to grab your dinner off the counter once, they will try to several more times because the behaviour has previously worked out well for them. Similarly, they learn that putting their bum on the floor when you say the word sit, works out well because they get a treat for it.
Head tilts can work similarly in that if the first time your puppy tilted their head at you, you made a big fuss and found it so cute you gave them a pat on the head or a treat, they will likely repeat the behaviour.
Behaviours like head tilts can almost become attention-seeking when your clever clogs of a puppy learn that it gets them your attention. Before long you’ll be a very well-trained pup parent who knows exactly when attention is being requested from you.
A Dog’s Head Tilt Could Indicate a Health Issue
If you ever notice that your dog is tilting their head quite frequently, but it doesn’t seem linked to any environmental noises or external stimuli, it could indicate that something is going on medically.
One common cause for your pup to tilt their head can be an ear infection. Ear infections can impact balance and hearing and if they progress enough, they can cause a head tilt from how uncomfortable your pooch becomes. Another common symptom of an ear infection is if they shake their head quite a lot too as if something in their ears might be irritating.
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A head tilt is also a very common symptom of Vestibular Syndrome. The vestibular system in our pets helps them to balance and prevents them from falling over. When something disrupts it, they will often become disoriented and may tilt their head to try and balance themselves. Ear tumours and trauma to the brain are the main causes of Vestibular issues.
If you’re worried that your pup’s head tilt is not caused by anything external, then a trip to their vet will help you figure out why they’re holding their head at an angle.
For everything you need to keep your pup happy and healthy along with all your other doggy essentials, shop in-store or online today.