5 reasons for dogs' adorable head-tilting behavior

Business insider ^ | 04/15/2022 | Erin Heger

[ChicagoConservative27]

It's hard to resist the cuteness of a dog tilting their head when you talk to them or when they hear a strange sound. But this endearing trait may have a bigger purpose than merely looking adorable.

Scientists are still trying to get to the bottom of exactly why dogs tilt their heads and there isn't a ton of research yet on the topic. But there are some theories about why dogs engage in this behavior and what their head tilts could mean.

[ChicagoConservative27]

I always thought because they are listening

[Ken H]

Same reason people tilt their heads when their puzzled. It’s natural to tilt your head when someone says something you don’t quite get.

[gundog]

[gundog]

[PAR35]

It’s a question mark - They are asking for clarification or making a request.

Now where is my $2million grant of taxpayer money for the studies I’ve conducted?

[pnut22]

My opinion is they get a reward when they make a cute expression. Owners smile and reach out to touch a head or scratch an ear.

My dog learned quite young that if he put his head in my lap I would say hi and scratch. Dogs are smart that way.

[Bonemaker]

They are just trying to make sense out of humans.

[Cvengr]

Might be the same reason some people tilt their heads.

Astigmatism.

John O’Conner in Buckaroo Bonzai (Vincient Schiavelli)
comes to mind.

[Political Junkie Too]

The question is, how did dogs learn to use their nose to nudge your hand back to their head after you stop scratching it?

-PJ

[GingisK]

I suspect they are aligning their mouth with with a vertical member of your body they are contemplating chomping down upon.

[Nifster]

They’re thinking Ruh Roh where’s my Scooby snack?

[Equine1952]

It’s their are you 🐂💩Ing me look.

[PghBaldy]

I agree. I would do it to our German Shepherd to show her I didn’t understand what she wanted to tell me, and she would show me.

[pnut22]

Amen to that. My Duffy is the king of the hey you.. keep scratching move.

[G Larry]

It means, “I don’t understand what I’m seeing”.

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

These guys just heard XiJinBiden and Kameltoe speaking to the press. They can’t figure those two out, either.

[real saxophonist]

Our dog did that whever I played bassoon. Not any other instruments, only bassoon.

[PIF]

or the lizard-looking guy on Bar Rescue

[one guy in new jersey]

I always thought it was an attempt to get a more definite bead on an azimuth, elevation, and distance to something making noise somewhere. Only two ears, you know. Not always sufficient unless you move and rotate the “receiver” around in space.

[bk1000]

When you are thinking, you have to tilt your head so the blood will flow to the other side of your brain. Everybody knows that.