We have all seen that adorable little tilt of our dog’s head and wonder if they are trying to communicate with us, hear us better, or something else.
Why do Pomeranians tilt their heads at us?
Why Does My Pomeranian Tilt Its Head
Pomeranians tilt their heads for a variety of reasons including communicating, reward-seeking as well as possible medical conditions.
Reasons Why Dogs Tilt Their Heads
- Dogs their heads to hear better
- Tilting their heads helps them communicate better with you
- Dogs tilt their heads to read your body language better
- We have encouraged head tilting
- Medical conditions
- Empathy
Why Dogs Tilt Their Heads To Hear Better
We all know that dogs have exceptional hearing that is much more sensitive than compared to a human’s hearing ability.
What many are unaware of is even though dogs can hear sounds that are at a much higher pitch than the human ear can detect, they have a harder time determining the direction of the sounds they are hearing.
Since dogs have a harder time determining the direction of a sound, they often tilt their heads and ears in order to locate the sound better.
Although, Pomeranains are small little companions they are also very eager watchdogs that don’t want to miss and sound that doesn’t belong.
Why Do Dogs Tilt Their Heads To Communicate
Dogs enjoy communicating with their owners and are always picking up on our signals whether those are words spoken or our body language.
Your dog will tilt its head as a way to focus and pay attention better to what you are saying.
The head tilt from your dog is an expression that they are paying attention to you and are trying to understand every word you are saying.
Having a conversation with a Pomeranian that starts tilting its head in response is an enjoyable moment for both you and your furry friend.
Why Dogs Tilt Their Heads To Read You Better
Beyond spoken words, your body language is one of the most important communications between you and your dog.
Dogs survive by detecting the body language of others and communicating with their own bodies.
A dog will often tilt its head as a way to see you better or see get a better look at what is going on around time.
My Pomeranians are very intuned with what is going on around them, especially my cream Pomeranian Murphy.
Wherever there is any sort of body language or spoken words that he finds concerning, he perks up and goes into a hyper-focus trying to read what’s going on and what may happen next.
How Have Humans Encouraged Our Dogs To Tilt Their Head
As humans, we are drawn to the adorable little head tilt of our dogs often rewarding them with attention, love, playtime, and treats.
This reward has thought them that they will receive this positive reinforcement from their head tilt encouraging them to do it more often for the reward.
Pomeranians love attention and are extremely smart, it does not take long for a Pomeranian to learn your cues and feed right into them for their benefit.
What Medical Conditions Can Cause A Dog To Tilt It’s Head
Unfortunately, sometimes a head tilt can be a sign that there is an underlying health condition.
If your dog is constantly tilting its head or if the behavior is new or different it may be best to bring your dog to the vet and discuss your concern.
It’s possible that your dog may have one of the following conditions that are causing them discomfort.
- Ear Infections
- Neurological conditions
- Vestibular Disease
- Head Injury
- Hypothyroidism
- Brain Tumor
- Ingesting Toxins
You know your dog better than anyone, if you notice anything that doesn’t seem normal for your dog don’t hesitate to get him or her care.
Some dogs are more vulnerable to certain health conditions like chronic ear infections.
Luckily, Pomeranians are a healthy breed overall.
Do Dogs Show Empathy By Tilting Their Heads
Dogs are capable of showing empathy and comforting those they love when they sense sadness or illness.
We’ve all heard of dogs that don’t leave the side of their owner when they are sick.
The same goes for when a person is feeling sad as well.
Your dog may be trying to read the situations, understand that you are sad, and try to show you empathy and love with a head tilt, lick, or cuddle.
Why Do Dogs Tilt Their Heads When You Say Certain Words
Your dog has learned some vocabulary and is responding and communicating back to you.
If you ask your dog if it wants to go for a walk you may get an eager response that includes a head tilt.
Your dog is letting you know that it understands you and is communicating back to you their response.
In this situation, a head tilt is often accompanied by a lot of body language and sometimes vocal language as well.
Your dog may tilt its head, bark, start jumping around and wagging with excitement.
Why Do Dogs Tile Their Heads When They Hear A Sound
Dogs often tilt their heads as a way to hear the sound better or hear the direction of the sound better.
Ultimately, your dog wants to know exactly what is going on so it can respond correctly to the situation.
Why Does My Dog Tilt Its Head To The Left
Research has shown that dogs will often tilt their heads to the same side consistently instead of switching back and forth.
Do Dogs Tilt Their Heads When They Are Confused
Dogs will tilt their heads when they are confused.
Your dog may be tilting its head to hear better, see better or pay attention better.
All of these reasons are to understand what you are saying or read the situation accurately so they can respond in an accurate manner.
Do Smart Dogs Tilt Their Heads
Studies have shown that dogs that are “gifted” in intelligence are more likely to tilt their heads in response to words and commands that they understand.
Final Thoughts
When your dog tilts its head at you, it’s hard not to notice and engage with how cute and responsive your dog is.
Most of the time your dog is trying to hear, see or understand what’s going on around them better.
In some cases, it is possible that your dog is suffering from a medical condition including common ear infections.
It’s always important to observe your dog and if you notice any changes in your dog’s behavior consult with your vet.
