{"id":14375,"date":"2023-03-21T09:00:16","date_gmt":"2023-03-21T14:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/?p=14375"},"modified":"2023-07-13T13:47:23","modified_gmt":"2023-07-13T18:47:23","slug":"deciphering-your-dogs-ear-positions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/blog\/behavior\/psychology\/deciphering-your-dogs-ear-positions\/","title":{"rendered":"Deciphering Your Dog\u2019s Ear Positions"},"content":{"rendered":"

As much as you would love to, people can\u2019t have a two-way conversation with their dogs (not yet anyway<\/a>). Sometimes it would be useful to know how your dog is feeling, and while you can\u2019t ask them, you can try interpreting some of their body language. Dogs use body language to communicate with each other<\/a> (among other things) and you can use it to help understand your dog\u2019s mood, too.<\/p>\n

Two of the body parts that are useful for interpreting what your dog might be thinking are their ears. The position and direction of their ears can give you insight into whether they\u2019re scared, relaxed or curious about something. But like all body language signs, their ears shouldn\u2019t be interpreted by themselves; you need to look at all of your dog\u2019s body language to really understand what\u2019s going on.<\/p>\n

Some Pointers on Dog Ear Positions<\/h2>\n

Canine ears come in all different shapes and sizes<\/a> \u2014 prick, bat, drop, button and rose, to name a few. And all those shapes and sizes can make it a little difficult to see exactly how your dog\u2019s ears are positioned. Below we\u2019ve listed some of the general positions dogs\u2019 ears might be in, depending on how they\u2019re feeling; but keep in mind that your<\/em> dog\u2019s ear positions may look a little different. To help you assess the whole situation, we\u2019ve also included some of the body language signs typically associated with each feeling.<\/p>\n

Relaxed and Happy<\/h2>\n

Life is goooood. If your dog is feeling friendly and calm, they will likely have their ears in their normal position or leaning to the side a little, and the ears will be relaxed (floppy). Sometimes they may also have their ears down and back, but they won\u2019t be pinned flat against their head \u2014 they\u2019ll be floppy.<\/p>\n

If they\u2019re feeling playful or excited, they may have high and perky ears. Upright ears can also be an early warning sign of aggression, but if they are feeling playful, the rest of their body language will be relaxed, not tense.<\/p>\n

Body language signs of a friendly and relaxed dog include:<\/p>\n