Why Do Dogs Tilt Their Heads When You Talk To Them? It’s Not Just About Looking Cute…

by pawbuzz on in Dogs 978

If you've ever had a dog (or met one) you'll probably recognize the adorable ‘head tilt'.

You know the one. When their eyes seem to widen and they angle their head to the side as if they're trying to look cute so you give them some more biscuits.

By tilting its heads slightly to the side, a dog can melt the heart of even the most hardened cat person. Most everyone finds this behavior adorable, but few people can explain what compels a dog to do it.

Are dogs somehow aware of the effect they have on humans, using a cute trick to exploit us for affection?

Yes, it's possible they have learned by now that when they look extra cute, they get extra treats – but according to Mother Nature Network, there's also a much sweeter reason.

Move on to the next page to find out why they do it!

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978 thoughts on “Why Do Dogs Tilt Their Heads When You Talk To Them? It’s Not Just About Looking Cute…”

  39. Katie Stower

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    • They’re trying to hear better
    Dogs have movable earflaps that help them locate the source of a sound, but they also have brains that can compute time differences between the sound reaching each ear. A slight change in a dog’s head position supplies additional information that the canine can use to judge a sound’s distance.

    • They’re trying to understand us
    The muscles of a dog’s middle ear are controlled by a part of the brain that’s also responsible for facial expressions and head movements, so when a canine tilts his head, he’s trying to perceive what you’re saying, as well as communicate to you that he’s listening.

    • They can’t see our faces easily
    In an effort to understand us, dogs not only use our words and inflection, but also facial expressions, body language and eye movements. Because of this, it’s important for them to see our faces, so Dr. Stanley Corren reasons that when dogs$#%&!@*their heads they’re trying to see us better.

    • We’ve taught them to do it
    When dogs tilt their heads when we speak, it’s undeniably cute — just check out the video below — and we have a tendency to respond to the behavior with positive reinforcement. Perhaps we say “aww” in a pleasing tone of voice or offer the dog a treat.

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