One of the most casually cute things that a dog can do is look at you and tilt their head to the side. But, why?
What causes dogs to constantly tilt their head, and why is it so cute? Let's find out on today's episode of Colossal Questions.
They might not be able to understand exactly what we're saying, but dogs are still very good at understanding body language, vocal cues, and tone of voice. That means when you use a stern voice with your dog, they might not get exactly what you're saying, but they know for a fact that you're mad at them, and they're in trouble.
The same is true when you're sweet and playful with them. Most dogs crave your love and attention, so they'll watch and listen for any cues that they might have been a good dog.
So, many experts believe that when a pup tilts its head to the side as you speak to them, it's very likely because they're trying to listen in extra carefully to what you're saying. They're looking for vocal cues that might mean a meal, a walk, or anything else they enjoy.
You might be wondering why tilting their heads would help dogs hear better. It has to do with the way a dog's ear is formed.
You see, dogs can detect very, very small differences in how long it takes a sound to reach each of their ears. So, when they tilt their head, it's likely because they're adjusting their outer ear, so they can better pinpoint where sound is coming from.
Some, however, believe it has more to do with the dog's vision than it's hearing. The theory is that, having a snout sticking out of their face makes it a bit harder for dogs to see.
The snout would get in the way as they try and watch your face for expressions. Tilting their head might give them a better view of our mouths and faces, so they get a better sense of what we're trying to say.
So like all kinds of other animal behaviors, experts still aren't quite sure why dogs tilt their heads like they do. But, whatever the reason, they're pretty sure it has a lot to do with them trying to understand us.
