In humans, a head tilt can convey sympathy or show that we are listening to a speaker.
But why do our canine friends put their heads to the side? We know what tail wagging and barking might signify, but a dog’s head tilt can mean a number of different things. Fortunately, vet and social media animal guru Dr Alex Crow has stepped up with three theories that may explain the behaviour.
Sharing a video explaining this cute mannerism with his 17k followers, Dr Crow began: “First, it helps them pinpoint the exact location of a sound. By tilting their heads, they can better determine where noises are coming from. Especially if its a strange or unfamiliar sound”.
Dogs can hear a much larger range of frequencies than we can and can hear things four times further away than humans. In fact, their ear shape helps them to collect sound waves and, by tilting and moving their ears, they are able to funnel sound into their inner ear. Therefore, when they tilt their head, they may be listening to a noise that is too high-pitched for us to hear.
The second reason your dog might tilt their head is to try to read your facial expressions and body language. Dr Crow said: “When they tilt their head, they can see past their snout and get a better view of our mouth and eyes, helping them to read our emotions.”
Scientist believe, in fact, that dogs may have roughly the same cognitive ability as a six-to-12 month-old human infant. Body language, tone and words can all help us to communicate better with our four-legged friends, and so being able to fully see your facial expression when you talk is crucial to their understanding.
Finally, Dr Crow said: “Head tilting might also be a sign of concentration. When your dog tilts its head, it could mean they are trying to understand what you’re saying or figure out what you want from them. So the next time your dog tilts their head at you, give them a smile and a pat. They are just trying to be the best that they can be”.
Viewers were quick to comment, with one asking: “How come some do and some don’t?”, to which Dr Crow responded: “Some dogs, especially ones with flat faces, might not tilt as much as they don’t have a long snout that they are trying to look past.”
Another chimed in: “Mine does it when he knows treats are about. Head tilting might also be a sign of concentration and attentiveness. When your dog tilts its head it could mean they are trying to understand what you’re saying or figure out what you want from them.'”
However, if your dog is frequently tilting their head without any clear reason, it’s advisable to consult a vet as it could be a sign of health issues. Purina notes that this could be symptoms of ear infections or vestibular syndrome, which affects a dog’s balance.