Carlos, a veterinarian, explains why dogs tilt their heads when they look at you. Head tilting helps them hear better, shows they're paying attention, and sometimes signals ear problems that need checking.
Because people seem to be embarrassed. And in the end, everyone talks to their dog. But not everything is going to be a bed of roses. Hello, I'm Carlos, a clinical veterinarian at Small Animals. Welcome to the Happy Pets and Families Channel. Today I'm very happy because we're finally going to the beach. But first, look what our fan Bianca has done. Bianca is a friend of ours who is a super fan of the channel. She. She's 12 years old, and she made this drawing for us. And when she grows up, she wants to be a YouTuber like me. Do you remember? It's the thumbnail of our hairball video. Well, it's actually the Simpsons cat, but it's in our thumbnail of the cats with hairballs. Well, he loved the video. Oh, yes. Totoro also appears, who, as he sees that several videos have gone by without appearing on our channel, has become jealous and wants to get the camera. Don't worry, Totoro. We want to keep you on the channel, and we're going to count on you. Thank you very much for the drawing, Bianca. We were very excited. Well, we're going to the beach. No, we're not going to the beach. It doesn't close for vacation here. We have to make a video here, here.
And that's why I dressed like this.
You're ridiculous. I bet you won't guess why your dog turns its head. There are some dogs that when you talk to them, they turn their head in a very funny way, as if they understand the message you're telling them. No, but don't take that to mean that your dog always agrees with what you're telling them. So don't use that as an excuse for when you wanted to buy the iPhone 10 and your dog turned its head away when you told it because you bought it because you wanted to. This week, I'm going to tell you what's behind this behavior in dogs. And by the way, I'm going to tell you that your dog's head isn't always turning because they're being very expressive. Sometimes there is a small problem behind this behavior that I will also explain to you so that you know and can identify it if you see it in your canine companion. And if I shake my head, it is because I do not understand what the hell we are doing here. We are no longer at the beach. Accept it. Even if you say that you are in your right mind. We know that you talk to your dog and your cat, too, because people seem to be embarrassed and say, oh, it seems that Talking to the dog is like being crazy. And in the end, everyone talks to their dog. And I also talk to my patients. Although if you live with a cat and you talk to it and it ignores you, don't worry, it is nothing personal, it is just that they are like that. Well, the fact is that when you talk to your dog, many times it tilts its head. And the truth is that there are interpretations for all tastes of what this behavior means. On the one hand, there is the theory that in this way they clear their ears to expose their hearing more and that your message comes across more clearly. Okay, but that explanation I just gave you is valid for dogs that have their ears down, like the boxer, for example. However, it would not explain why other dogs with their ears up, do it. Like the German shepherd, for example. According to Dr. Koren, who has studied dog language extensively, and the way they communicate with each other and with you and your own dog. After observing a lot of dogs that did this behavior, he came to the conclusion that animals with larger snouts tended to do it more. In the end, this gentleman came to the conclusion that the snout made them less visible and that the way they could see us much better was by moving their head forward. Believe it or not, there is a lot of communication between you and your dog that is transmitted not only through words, but also through tone and also through the features and gestures that we make with our faces. That is why your dog seeks a better angle of vision to be able to understand your gestures better. But since your dog is very smart, there may be another reason why he shakes his head every time you talk to him. And that is because you have taught him to do so. No, not voluntarily, but rather that your dog has learned that when he shakes his head in a funny way, you pay him more attention and even pet him. This is called behavioral conditioning. And it is because he has done it at first, and since you found it funny, you went closer, petted him, or even talked to him a little more. There are some dogs that even receive treats. Since your dog is super intelligent, he has learned it and already knows that this is the technique to get you to pay him a little more attention and get him a little food.
Oh, I don't want to record videos. I want to go to the beach.
Come on. If you record this video, I'll buy you an ice cream and you'll see how good it is. Oh, how cool. I love recording videos, you see, but it's not all going to be a bed of roses. There may also be some minor problem that can cause your dog to tilt its head to one side. This usually has to do with problems inside the ear. And in this case, unlike everything I've already told you, it's not because you're talking to it or because it's paying attention to you. If you see that your dog tilts its head a lot to one side, or also scratches itself a lot, or shakes its head very violently, don't be confused. Even it could be that something is wrong with it. Of course, these three things don't have to happen at the same time. It could only have one. But it could also imply the same thing. In addition to this hearing organ, it depends on its balance. So if there is something that damages it, it can cause your dog many health problems. Your dog not being able to walk straight, it could get dizzy, it could fall, it could vomit. All of these could be a sign that its balance is failing. If you notice that your dog's ear is very dirty, regardless of how many times you clean it, or that it hurts when you touch it, or that it is very red and warm to the touch with a foul odor, it may have a problem that needs to be seen by your vet. That's why I recommend that in these cases, you take your dog to the doctor's office as soon as possible. Sometimes it may even happen that your dog has something inside its ear, and that's why it shakes its head so much trying to get it out. In the end, the vet has to do this at the doctor's office under sedation to extract it and prevent it from causing further problems. It's very common in the summer for spikelets to happen, which are dried residues that plants have when they're already dry. And when the dog goes to areas where the grass is very high, they get into its ear and start causing problems. As you can see, for everything I've told you, when your dog turns its head, it can be for several reasons. So with the information I've given you, you'll now be able to figure out what's causing your dog to turn its head away from time to time. And if, after all this I've told you, it's still not clear why your dog is doing it, take him to your regular vet so they can give you an accurate diagnosis. Well, I don't know about you, but I'm definitely going to the beach. And why do you think your dog is tilting his head? If you think he's doing it for a reason other than the ones I've told you, leave us a comment so we can find out. And that's it for today's video. Remember that even if you're lying in a hammock, surrounded by sand, all comfortable under your umbrella, you can like the video if you liked it and share it with your family and friends. Also, remember to subscribe to the channel if you haven't already and hit the bell. So YouTube will notify you every time we upload new content. Thank you very much for following the Happy Pets and Families channel, and we'll see you in the next video. Bianca has given us a lot of fun. I'm going. I'm going. I'm going. Yes, because I'm tied up here. You can't go to the beach in style.
You've made it a bit too loud. Sure, because if I can't make it too loud, it'll fly out of my mouth. Something's going to get in my mouth. Seriously. No, but almost. But it's not all going to be a bed of roses. It could also be.
What do you mean? I'm leaving. I'm leaving. Oh, I'm telling you.
