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What does it mean when a dog flips its ears back2007-11-25 2:52:10

is it just a natural thing that occurs? do they do it so they can hear better? or does it have a meaning at all?? im just so curious cause my dogs will sometimes have one ear flipped back sometimes both and other times not at all! its so odd to me!

Answers:

Good question. In my fifty years of training dogs I have never discovered any meaning to be attached to flipped back ears. This is different from dogs that can move their ears, such as stand them up or direct them, this does have real meaning in dog behavior. Some dogs hate it especially when the wind flips them back. I think it makes the dogs look messy and if one of my dogs (dachshunds) walks past me with a flipped ear, I reach down and flip it back correctly.

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It's just something that happens. Really means nothing more than the dog shook his/her head, and the ear didn't flop back over.

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Yes, it has meaning. Since dog's don't have the complex language we humans do, they have to use body language as apart of communication.

When a dog flip back its ears and snarls, he saying, "Get away, I don't want you here."

while wagging his tail, "I want to play? Please play!"

Other times it is a relaxed, submissive gesture. He wants to be calm or loving.

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dogs with long ears sometimes flip t heir ears back.. because it just FEELS sooooo good. air has to get to the ears for healthy ears. kinda like when a dog hangs his head out the window while your driving.. they LOVE it..

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Dogs don't communicate through spoken language like humans do, but rather through body language.