Dogs do all kinds of things that look regular, irrelevant, or interesting to us. Why do dogs put their ears back? This has to be one of the most interesting elements of a dog’s behavior, and it’s one that makes any dog look spectacular. This is, even more, pronounce with dogs who have long and pointy ears. You must know that dogs do this for numerous reasons and that you should understand your pet in order to understand why he does this.
Why Do Dogs Put Their Ears Back?
He Is Giving You A Warming
Why do dogs put their ears back? He is warning you. Once again, this is very common for dogs who have long and pointy ears. If he keeps them against your head and back, this may be the warning he is showing you. It is almost impossible for a dog to show this to his owner. But he may do it toward other people or other pets.
You must remember that warming of this kind is followed by snarling and growling, and the upper lip will be curled above. Raising fur, especially on the back and neck, can be visible as well. Most dogs will do this when they are sabering, and they believe that attack is a must in order to protect themselves.
If your pet does this, try to discover why he feels that way. Maybe he doesn’t like new people and he needs more space.
He Is Nervous or Scared
If your dog is scared or nervous, he will put his ears back. But he will also show many other body signals that should help you determine if this is the cause. He will show you his “whale eye” (the silver part of the eyes), keep his tail low, and also avoid eye contact. If all of these are present, he is definitely nervous and even scared. This happens when a new person is in the house or your pet is in some specific situation. In addition, your pet will try to keep his body away from what makes him scared.
He Is Sad
This is one of the rarest reasons on this list but also one we must mention. When a dog is sad, he may put his ears back. This happens when his friends are playing but he can’t, when a loved person goes away or when something similar happens. He will use this and many other body signs to tell you this.
Contentment
Your pet can be content, and he will keep his ears back. You need to remember that in this scenario, his ears won’t be pushed against the head. There won’t be any other signs, like growling or raised hair. He is happy and relaxed. You can see other signs that are common when a dog is relaxed. We can also add that his tail will be relaxed but not between his legs.
Ear Infection
A good thing is that this reason is rare and it affects a small percentage of dogs. In general, your pet will hold his ears back to protect them from further injury. Ear infection can cause massive pain and discomfort and your pet can’t do anything about it. He cannot use his mouth or his legs to scratch himself or put pressure on the affected area.
The ear pinna, which is a flap of the ear, is very delicate and sensitive. If or when a blood vessel ruptures in this part, it will fill it with blood. The area will look red and swollen. It can even look like a pillow. Believe it or not, aural hematomas are known as “pillow ears” precisely for this reason.
If this is the case with your dog, you need to take him to the vet immediately. These are not things you can sort out all by yourself or that will go away on their own. A vet may drain the area in the meantime using a needle, or surgery will be needed in order to correct the issue. Considering it is a painful and problematic condition, your dog needs help from a vet as soon as possible. If a red and swollen area on the ears is present and your pet keeps his ears back, this may be the reason why.
Courting
This reason affects male dogs only and it happens rarely. But when it does, you can see your dog happy and interested. When a male dog is courting a female dog he will put his ears back. This makes him look serious and more elegant. At the same time, it signals to a female dog that he is interested. You can also see that your pet will look happy almost he is walking on the clouds. It is interesting watching the courting of male dogs.
He Listens To Something
This is also one of the most common and most interesting reasons. First of all, it is perfectly normal, and it looks cute. When a dog keeps his ears back, he may be listening to something that happens behind him. You can also see his face looks serious and even intrigues like he is spying on someone.
Most dogs do this, and it is harmless. It is only immoral not to share this reason with others. If you can hear something in the background and your pet puts his ears back, this is the reason why.
Conclusion
Why do dogs put their ears back occasionally? There are a few reasons for that and we have covered all of the above. In some cases, you don’t have to do anything about it.
This is perfectly normal behavior and it is one of the body signs that experts have been using for a long period of time. But, if the illness or health-related issue such as skin infection is the cause, you will need to take your pet to a vet. Try to analyze this and other behavioral cues in order to determine why your pet does this and what you should do about it.
