Why Do Dogs Tilt Their Heads—And Is That Really a Sign of Confusion?
Dogs rarely look cuter than when they cock their heads to the side and give you a questioning look.
But while they may seem confused, a recent study suggests that the expression could actually be a sign of intelligence.
Researchers at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary found that head shifting is a dog’s way of processing the meaning of words and making connections.
The study analyzed the behavior of 40 dogs when their owners asked them to fetch a particular toy by saying its name.
About 33 of the pets couldn’t learn the names of toys, but seven did – and nodded their heads when they heard their owners call it out.
Six of these “gifted dogs” were border collies, considered one of the most intelligent breeds in the world.
A recent study shows that your dog may be gifted if he tilts his head. The researchers looked at several dogs and found that Border Collies made the most of the expression. Pictured is Whisky, who was part of the study and was among the brightest
“Often, owners observe dogs tilting their heads, and we still do not have a full understanding of the function and circumstances under which this behavior occurs,” the researchers said in a statement.
“However, this study is the first step in that direction and shows how this behavior might be related to the presence of meaningful and salient auditory stimuli for the dog.”
Head tilting is known as an asymmetric behavior that also occurs in humans, typically during a period of thinking or hearing a sound.
But tail wagging, nose sniffing, and paw preference are also asymmetrical behaviors.
The lead author Dr. Andrea Sommese said: “Head tilting is another asymmetric movement in dogs, but one that has never been studied.
“We examined the frequency and direction of this behavior in response to a specific human verbal vocalization: when the owner requests the dog to bring a toy by saying its name.
The researchers found that head shifting is a dog’s way of processing the meaning of words and making connections
Which dog breeds are the smartest?
WebMD reports that the following are the most naturally intelligent dog breeds:
“We did this after realizing that this often happened when the dogs were listening to their owners.”
The study involved training the dogs for three months to familiarize them with specific toy names.
The “gifted dogs” bowed their heads 43 percent of the time when their owners called out toy names, while the average pet moved just 2 percent of the time.
“We’re not suggesting that only gifted dogs tilt their heads, while typical dogs never do,” Sommese told Live Science.
“Typical dogs do this too, some more often than others, but in this particular situation, when the owner asks for a toy with their name on it, only the gifted dogs show a nice inclination.”
These results prompted a second investigation, in which only the head tilts were observed.
Subsequent experiments, spanning 24 months, confirmed that dogs appear to have a preferred side to move their heads.
Shany Dror, co-author of the study, said: “It appears that there is an association between being successful in finding a named toy and frequently nodding your head when hearing its name.
“Therefore, we propose a link between head tilting and the processing of relevant and meaningful stimuli.”