You’ve probably seen a dog tilt its head in response to a weird noise or something
You’ve probably seen a dog tilt its head in response to a weird noise or something

you said.
you said.

It’s super cute, but why do they do it?
It’s super cute, but why do they do it?

Well, the answer’s not entirely clear, and there hasn’t been any peer-reviewed research
Well, the answer’s not entirely clear, and there hasn’t been any peer-reviewed research

about it.
about it.

But a couple scientists hypothesize that head-tilting might help dogs see and hear us better.
But a couple scientists hypothesize that head-tilting might help dogs see and hear us better.

One popular idea comes from a 2013 blog post by a psychologist named Stanley Coren, who
One popular idea comes from a 2013 blog post by a psychologist named Stanley Coren, who

studies dogs and their behaviors, among other things.
studies dogs and their behaviors, among other things.

He thinks that puzzled tilt means a dog is trying to see you better.
He thinks that puzzled tilt means a dog is trying to see you better.

When you speak to someone, dog or otherwise, you express a lot of emotion with the lower
When you speak to someone, dog or otherwise, you express a lot of emotion with the lower

half of your face.
half of your face.

And according to a small 2015 study, it seems like our canine companions can tell the difference
And according to a small 2015 study, it seems like our canine companions can tell the difference

between facial expressions that show emotion, like happiness or anger.
between facial expressions that show emotion, like happiness or anger.

But a dog with a bigger muzzle might not be able to see your smile or frown clearly, so
But a dog with a bigger muzzle might not be able to see your smile or frown clearly, so

Coren suggests that tilting helps them get a better view.
Coren suggests that tilting helps them get a better view.

He tested this idea by surveying 582 dog owners online, asking them about their dog’s breed
He tested this idea by surveying 582 dog owners online, asking them about their dog’s breed

or head shape, and asking them to rate how frequently their dogs do the head tilting
or head shape, and asking them to rate how frequently their dogs do the head tilting

thing.
thing.

The data were split into two groups.
The data were split into two groups.

One was brachycephalic dogs with flatter faces like pugs.
One was brachycephalic dogs with flatter faces like pugs.

And the other was a mix of mesaticephalic dogs with medium muzzles like beagles and
And the other was a mix of mesaticephalic dogs with medium muzzles like beagles and

dolichocephalic dogs with long noses like greyhounds.
dolichocephalic dogs with long noses like greyhounds.

In Coren’s survey, 71% of owners of bigger-muzzled dogs reported that their pups “frequently,”
In Coren’s survey, 71% of owners of bigger-muzzled dogs reported that their pups “frequently,”

“most of the time,” or “always” tilt their heads when spoken to, as opposed to
“most of the time,” or “always” tilt their heads when spoken to, as opposed to

only 52% of owners of smaller-muzzled dogs.
only 52% of owners of smaller-muzzled dogs.

That, he says, is a statistically significant difference.
That, he says, is a statistically significant difference.

But 52% is still a lot of dogs, so this probably isn’t the whole story.
But 52% is still a lot of dogs, so this probably isn’t the whole story.

A psychologist who runs a dog cognition lab named Alexandra Horowitz thinks that dogs
A psychologist who runs a dog cognition lab named Alexandra Horowitz thinks that dogs

could be trying to hear us better with those sideways looks.
could be trying to hear us better with those sideways looks.

Specifically, she thinks they’re tilting their heads to adjust the floppy parts of
Specifically, she thinks they’re tilting their heads to adjust the floppy parts of

their ears, called pinnae, to get a better sense of where sounds are coming from.
their ears, called pinnae, to get a better sense of where sounds are coming from.

A third take from a dog trainer named Steven Lindsay is that dogs tilt their heads because
A third take from a dog trainer named Steven Lindsay is that dogs tilt their heads because

one part of their brain is involved in both listening and body language.
one part of their brain is involved in both listening and body language.

[like ambiguous] We think a region called the nucleus ambiguus
[like ambiguous] We think a region called the nucleus ambiguus

controls a dog’s head movements, as well as the muscles in a dog’s middle ear that
controls a dog’s head movements, as well as the muscles in a dog’s middle ear that

help it perceive subtly different sounds.
help it perceive subtly different sounds.

So Lindsay suggests that when your pup is listening, it can’t help but show you with
So Lindsay suggests that when your pup is listening, it can’t help but show you with

its body too.
its body too.

We don’t really know how accurate any of these guesses are, but we do know that dogs
We don’t really know how accurate any of these guesses are, but we do know that dogs

tilting their heads is real cute.
tilting their heads is real cute.

So to any animal psychologists out there: round up some puppies, do some research, and
So to any animal psychologists out there: round up some puppies, do some research, and

post more of these adorable videos online... for science!
post more of these adorable videos online... for science!

Thanks for asking, and thanks especially to all of our patrons on Patreon who keep these
Thanks for asking, and thanks especially to all of our patrons on Patreon who keep these

answers coming.
answers coming.

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