Adrienne is a licensed dog trainer and a former veterinary assistant who collaborates with some of the world’s top vets.
If you want to fully comprehend why and what it means when your dog’s ears pull back, keep reading.
Dogs try to communicate something when they pull their ears back. First of all, keep in mind that understanding your dog’s body language may not be as simple as you might think. You must consider the entire picture before concentrating on one particular body part.
It’s crucial to take other factors into account in order to interpret your dog’s body language. As an illustration, consider the situation in which the ears are pulled back and the accompanying body language.
Let’s face it: Aside from people (and our primate relatives), dogs may be among the world’s most expressive animals. Dogs can express their needs and emotions through a variety of body parts, such as their heartbreakingly beseeching eyes, their excited tails, or their arched back ears.
Your dog may be pushing their ears back for a variety of reasons. Before we discuss some of those causes, let’s quickly review how a dog communicates with their ears on the whole.
Not all dogs have the same ear placement or shape. While Rottweilers and Beagles have floppier ears, Siberian Huskies and German Shepherds have upright, pointed ears. Some dogs even have very small, cropped ears. However, it is a pretty amazing organ regardless of the type of ear your dog is sporting (and can we just talk for a second about how soft and silky must puppy ears are).
Over 18 muscles make up a dog’s ear, allowing your dog to move it up, down, sideways, and even independently of the other ear. Now, imagine if humans had the ability to do that!.
Dogs use their ears for more than just listening to and tracking sounds, despite this being their primary function. If they are paying close enough attention, they can use their ears to communicate with humans and other dogs.
Catching the various ear movements your pet is using is simple to do with Shepherds and other dogs of that type. Some other breeds require more care because of their close-cropped or floppy ears. You should pay close attention to the base of the ear, where it connects to your dog’s skull, in these breeds of dogs because that is where the movement is primarily coming from.
Always take into account your dog’s other actions in addition to where their ears are placed to fully understand what these incredible animals are trying to communicate to you. The ear is just one piece of the puppy puzzle.
Dogs may naturally pull their ears back during play to both protect them and communicate their emotions.
The body language and behavioral cues of your dog can sometimes be read fairly easily. Most dog owners are aware of what a play bow looks like and can tell when a dog is scared or uneasy if its tail is tucked between its legs.
Your dog may burst a blood vessel inside the ear pinna, which is the flap of the ear, if they scratch or shake an itchy ear vigorously. When this occurs, the pinna will fill with blood and appear swollen and pillowy. In fact, due to this, aural hematomas are sometimes referred to as pillow ears. Unfortunately, this necessitates veterinary medical attention to treat the underlying ear infection and drain the blood that has accumulated in the ear pinna.
One of the more common interpretations of a dog’s retracted ears is that it indicates fear or at least caution toward something. This may be particularly true if you observe this cue along with other signs of fear in the body language.
It’s crucial to treat the ear infection and determine whether there is an underlying cause in order to avoid more serious issues or recurrence.
It’s crucial to never punish your dog for growling or snarling, despite the fact that this can be discouraging, worrying, and stressful to witness. They discover that warning behaviors get them into trouble by reprimanding a dog for expressing their fear or discomfort. The next time, they might not warn you before biting, and that won’t address the underlying issue that led to these behaviors in the first place.
3 Types of Typical Ear Positioning
When a dog is at ease in its surroundings, it typically stands relaxed and to the side. The ear’s base should be relaxed and not lean in any way. Any tension at the base of the ear is a sign of mood.
WHY ITS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR DOGS EAR POSITION MEANS
Understanding dog body language is crucial for both owners’ and their pet’s physical and mental health. Frequently, people who are unfamiliar with dogs will misinterpret the body language of dogs and approach them in ways that could be harmful. Even though the human misinterprets their signaling, the dog typically bears the brunt of the retaliation. The ears are typically read in conjunction with other visual cues, such as tail waving, lying with the butt up and the chest down, rolling on the back, and many others. In general, a dog’s ears can indicate its level of alertness during moments of arousal, rage, fear, joy, and, of course, aggression. The health and relationships between owners and their dogs can be improved by learning how a dog communicates and moves through its ears.