Have you ever seen your dog tilt its head to the side and wondered why? Head tilting is one of those things that humans often find quite adorable. Is it normal for dogs to tilt their heads?
In general, the occasional head tilt from a dog is normal and harmless. However, sometimes a dog’s head tilt can indicate a health problem. Here’s how to distinguish the difference.
Normal Dog Head Tilting
Puppies are especially known for tilting their heads, especially when they hear new or interesting words or sounds. They may also do this when they see something they find strange and fascinating.
When a dog tilts its head at something, it’s like saying “huh?” or “what’s that?” They’ll tilt their head to one side momentarily, then return to the normal head position. They may alternate tilting to both sides. Although the behavior is more common in puppies, it’s considered normal for dogs of all ages.
The behavior of head tilting in dogs isn’t fully understood. We know that people sometimes encourage this action with favorable responses. Our dogs learn that we like it and find it cute because we tend to smile and give them positive attention.
Dogs will repeat the behavior, and we continue to reinforce it, causing them to do it more often. In fact, you can even train your dog to tilt its head on command.
There are theories that by tilting their head, the dog is trying to put their ears at a different angle to hear something or change the position of their eyes to see better.
They may be trying to hear where a sound is coming from or look at something from a slightly different angle. A brief study suggests that dogs may tilt their heads in an attempt to better see our facial expressions beyond the visual obstacles of their snouts.
Puppies may tilt their heads more often than adult dogs because many of the sights and sounds around them are new. Try saying a funny word to your puppy or making a funny noise. There’s a good chance you’ll get a head tilt from them.
Although these theories make sense, we may never know for sure why dogs tilt their heads. What we do know is that this type of behavior is common, normal, and adorable!
When Head Tilting Indicates a Health Problem
Your dog may not be tilting its head in response to a sound or sight. Unfortunately, head tilting can sometimes be a sign of a serious health problem. In most cases, health-related head tilting is involuntary.
The head tilt is likely to occur constantly. This differs from normal head tilting, which is intermittent and occurs in response to stimuli. An abnormal head tilt may be accompanied by other signs of illness, such as involuntary eye movements (nystagmus), dizziness, staggering gait (ataxia), weakness, nausea, and/or lethargy.
An abnormal head tilt is usually caused by some type of vestibular dysfunction. Located in the middle/inner ear and brainstem, the vestibular system is responsible for balance and coordination.
Inflammation of the ear or problems in the brain can affect the nerves and structures of the vestibular system. This inflammation can lead to head tilting and other signs of vertigo. Various different health problems can disrupt the vestibular system, some more common than others.
- Ear Infections (Otitis)
- Brain Diseases
- Idiopathic Vestibular Dysfunction
- Hypothyroidism
- Horner’s Syndrome
- Head Trauma
- Brain or middle/inner ear Tumor
- Infectious diseases affecting the brain or ear canal
It’s important not to ignore this type of head tilt because the underlying problem may worsen over time and cause permanent damage. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you notice a head tilt in your dog that seems abnormal.
If you suspect your pet is ill, immediately call your veterinarian. For health-related inquiries, always consult your veterinarian as they have examined your pet, know the pet’s health history, and can make the best recommendations for your pet.