Why does your dog tilt its head to the side?

Have you ever noticed how dogs tilt their heads to one side whenever you speak to them? Experts say that your furry best friend’s head-tilting is their way of showing they empathize.

Dogs have developed a very good understanding of humans based on our body language, vocal cues, and facial gestures. When they are leaning their head to one side, it’s possible that they are listening for specific words or tones that they associate with fun activities such as meal or play time. According to Mental Floss, they are taking all our actions in even if the actual message gets lost in translation.

Since they are very observant creatures, they can pick up human emotions easily. Although they are not capable of identifying what’s wrong with you, they can see if you are sad or happy. And that’s when they tilt their heads, to show that they care for you.

Another reason for canines’ head-tilting is to find where the sound is coming from. Although dogs can hear frequencies that humans cannot, still their ability to locate sound is a bit off.

Stanley Coren of Psychology Today also believes that dog cock their heads to respond to visual cues. Because their muzzle makes it difficult for them to see the source of sound, they tilt their heads to see our faces better and read your expressions.

However, head tilting in your pets can also be a symptom of health issues, like ear mite infestations. If the head tilting occurs with no cues, it might be good to have your dog checked.

Featured image via glamgrid.com