- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
If you’ve ever wondered what your canine companion is trying to tell you, a look at how they’re positioning their ear and posture can give you a pretty good idea. For example, are your dog’s ears perked or relaxed? Is their chest forward and back? These muscle cues alone can tell you whether your dog is content or alert.
Dogs, wolves, and other members of the canid species all use ear communication, according to Dr. Mindy Waite, Ph.D, CAAB, a certified dog behaviorist. To put it simply, your dog’s ear movements stem from their genetics, though interactions with humans and other animals can shape the way they communicate with their ears.
That said, ear shapes differ a lot between dog breeds. So, your dog’s ear position can’t always tell the whole story when it comes to their mood. To learn what your dog is feeling, you’ll need to pay attention other types of body language, like postures and behaviors.
Ready to become an expert on your dog’s ear language? Check out the chart below!
Dog Ear Positions Chart and Meaning
Sally Grottini, a dog behavior expert with JustAnswer explains three concepts for ear positions:
- Ears that seem relaxed with no muscle usage generally indicate a dog is calm and content in their surroundings.
- Ears that are perked up straight usually indicate they’re alert or very focused on something.
- Ears pulled back against the back of the head can be signs of fear or anxiety due to a place, person, or sound.
When it comes to gauging how your dog might be feeling, Grotti emphasizes the importance of taking their entire body movement into consideration. Body language can help interpreting your dog’s feeling more accurately.
Thanks to Dr. Waite and Maddie Messina, MA, CPDT-KA, a dog behavior expert behind Paws for Thought positions, we put together a beginner guide to dog ear positions and their meaning:
| Ear position | Meaning |
| Relaxed | Neutral, relaxed, unconcerned |
| Flattened or pinned back | Uncomfortable, concerned, uncertain, excited (especially during greetings or running) |
| Extremely flattened or pinned | Extremely uncomfortable |
| Perked (tense and forward) | Highly aroused |
| Pointed (tensed and flattened) | Highly aroused |
| Switching between positions | Unsure about situation and how to respond |
How ear positions differ from breed to breed
Some dogs, by genetics or circumstance, will have harder to read ear positions than others. For example, Dr. Waite points out that it’s easier for our eyes to pay attention to the flexible, pointed ears of dogs like German Shepherds. As a result, you’ll be able to pick up on a larger range of expression from a German Shepherd’s ears than a Beagle or Basset Hound, both of which have large floppy ears.
For the dogs below, you may need to rely more on body language to understand what they are feeling or communicating:
- Dogs with super long ears (e.g. Basset Hounds)
- Dogs with no ear flaps (cropped)
- Dogs with erect ears due to pinning
“There are breeds, such as Golden Retrievers, which will pin their ears back against the head, and this can mean they are either nervous or happy,” Grotti says. “So, it is very important to also learn the full body language of the dog and understand the temperaments of dogs.”
Excitement or Aggression: Ears and Body Language
When your dog’s ears react like a satellite and point forward, or in the direction of the noise, this means they are highly aroused. Depending on your dog’s breed and ear shape, this position may also appear as if your dog is flattening them.
Stimulus arousal can mean either excitement or aggression, which is why looking at your dog’s accompanying body language is just as important. Aggressive body language looks like a stiff upper body, hard starting eyes, and a tight mouth. Excitement will follow more loose body language, such as a fast swishing tail, wide eyes, and bouncy body movements.
If your dog’s alert behaviors turn into aggression often, it’s crucial seek help from a certified dog behaviorist or dog trainer for guidance.
Relaxed or Content: Ears and Body Language
If your dog feels comfortable and at ease in their surroundings, their ears will reflect that by being in a relaxed position. You’ll also notice a lack of tension in the rest of their body. For dogs with pointy or erect ears, their ears will sit slightly lower on the top of the head, facing forward or slightly to the side with no tension between the ears and eyebrow area, when relaxed, Messina notes.
For example, you might notice relaxed ears when hanging out with your dog at home with the following body language:
- Soft eyes
- A soft mouth that may be gently closed or slightly open
- A loose body and hips
- Possibly a loose tail wag
Skeptical or Unsure: Ears and Body Language
Are you introducing your dog to something new? Whether they’re encountering a new partner or a new washing machine, unfamiliar things can make your dog feel unsure. And they might show this skepticism with flattened or pinned ears, alongside:
- Squinting or slightly worried eyes
- Wrinkles in the forehead
- A tucked or slumped tail
- A closed or panting mouth
Sometimes it may seem like your dog is smiling, but this is more likely a sign of discomfort. Dogs may flatten their ears when greeting dog friends or humans as a way to show appeasement behaviors, Messina adds. Appeasement behaviors can also be calming signals that your dog uses to lower tension in a situation.
If your dog’s ears are flatted or pinned, keep your own body language light and happy. Speak in a calm voice to reassure your dog that everything is OK. It will also help to let them take some long, thorough sniffs of the “intruder” to help them make sure they (and you!) are safe.
Fear or Anxiety: Ears and Body Language
Dog with extremely flatten or pinned back ears them close along their head are likely experiencing anxiety or fear. Their body will be stiff and low, perhaps in preparation to escape, and their tails will be wagging stiffly or very still. Some dogs may even raise their hackles, if they believe there may be a threat. Common places a dog may show this body language include:
- The vet’s office: It is very common for dogs to be anxious at the vet as most of their memories are the vet include getting shots or feeling sick.
- A big, noisy crowd, like public transportation: Settings where a dog cannot predict the coming and going of people can be stressful.
- Fireworks: Loud noises that dogs cannot predict or understand the source of can be traumatic.
- Situations where someone yells: Some dogs respond in fear, rather than support, when they sense when we are anxious or stressed.
In these types of situations, it can help to try soothing your dog as much as possible. Some good techniques for calming your dog include distraction, petting, and scent therapy. Another long-term solution is training for sound desensitization, which works for fireworks, doorbells, and more.
Curious or Alert: Ears and Body Language
Are your dog’s ears all over the place?
This may happen in an environment that’s full of new noises, smells, and movements where your dog doesn’t know how to respond. Their ears will move about trying to listen to everything going on, and the rest of their body language will mimic this. You may notice them showing darting eyes, varying body positions, or moving forward and backward.
If you want to get your dog’s attention, use a sound that attracts their ears to turn towards you.
Do Ear Positions Always Mean Something?
Dr. Waite explains that experts still have plenty to learn about dog ear positioning. She emphasizes that the main purpose of ears is hearing. In other words, even though we can learn how to communicate with dogs by paying attention to their ear positions, most dogs do not move their ears as a way of speaking to us.
A dog’s ears move simply be trying to pick up some interesting sounds more clearly! After all, their approximate hearing range is 67-45,000 Hertz (Hz), whereas ours is just 64-23,000 Hz.
How Dog Ear Positions Develop Across Puppyhood
You’ll typically notice ears with a one up, one down appearance in young dogs who have yet to fully develop ear cartilage and muscle. In adult dogs, one floppy ear and one erect ear may also be due to injury. However, the extent to which a dog’s ears stand erect mostly relates to their genetics, explains Dr. Jamie Whittenburg, DVM, director of Kingsgate Animal Hospital in Lubbock, Texas.
Often, in breeds whose ears typically stand up, puppies have floppy ears at first. As they grow, the cartilage will stiffen and eventually give the ears an upright position. Nutrition, trauma, parasites, and ear infections all play a role in the physical development of your dog’s growth and positioning.
Most of the ear’s ability to stay permanently erect comes from the composition of the cartilage in the outer ear. As dogs that typically have upright ears mature, the cartilage and the muscles further develop to help their ears stand up. However, this development doesn’t mean your dog can control their entire ear. Your dog’s ear muscles only control some of the ear’s height and movement.
And remember, no matter what your dog’s ears look like—floppy, erect, one of each, or even ears with a pocket—they still require regular care and cleaning!
