Dogs tilt their heads when you speak to them to better pinpoint familiar words.
It turns out that when your pup gives you that inquisitive little head tilt, they’re actually trying to understand you better.
Researchers believe dogs use the tilt to adjust their ear position, helping them hear sounds more clearly — especially the words they recognize like “treat,” “walk,” or their name.
In one study, dogs that were especially good at learning new words tilted their heads more often, suggesting that it’s a sign of active listening.
Another fun fact: Dogs have about 18 muscles in each ear. These help them finely tune the direction and angle of their listening. When they tilt their head, they’re triangulating the sound, like furry little sonar machines.
Next time your dog tilts its head at you, try saying a few of their favorite words and see how many they recognize!