Excited putbull cross dog with ears back lying in the snow

Why Do Dogs Put Their Ears Back? Understanding Canine Body Language

Quick Answer

  • The position of a dog’s ears is a good indicator of their emotional state.
  • Dogs pin their ears back flat against their heads when they are scared, anxious, or stressed. 
  • If the ears are pinned back more gently or only partially, the dog is more likely to be listening out for something.

When dogs put their ears back, it’s often a sign of fear or anxiety.

Dogs may also tuck their ears back when they are concentrating or focused on something.

To better understand why a dog pins his ears back, it’s essential to consider his overall body language and the context in which the behavior occurs.

Why does my dog pin his ears back?

Dogs will pin their ears back to indicate how they’re feeling. This may be positive or negative, so we also need to look at the wider context of the situation and the dog’s overall body language.

Fear, anxiety, or stress

One of the most common reasons that dogs pin their ears back is due to anxiety or fear, or as a sign of stress.

If your dog’s ears are back and he’s also showing other signs of anxiety or fear, such as panting, pacing, a crouched body, or a tail that is tucked between the legs, it’s best to remove him from the situation and provide him with some calming measures.

Fearful black and white dog curled up with ears back
Louis’ ears are back here indicating that he is feeling scared. We had only recently brought him home from the shelter and he was still unsure of his new environment © The Cat and Dog House

These might include talking to him in a soft reassuring voice, leading him to a quiet, safe place to rest, giving him a chew toy, stuffed Kong, or LickiMat, or playing some soothing music (if he likes that – not all dogs do and you don’t want to risk making him even more anxious!).

You might even do all of the above, which is what I would probably do!

While pitbull cross dog with ears back looking anxious
Maggie’s ears are back here because she’s a little anxious I’m going to remove her chew toy, which is on the floor behind her (unseen) © The Cat and Dog House

However, if you see your dog’s ears go back and it’s accompanied by a stiff body and a deep growl, he may be feeling threatened.

There’s a risk that the level of his aggressive behavior may escalate.

In this case, you should remove yourself (and your dog if safe and appropriate to do so) from the situation immediately. Give him some time and space to regroup and de-stress.

Grey and white dog with ears pinned back and growling over a bowl of food
Daisy’s ears are pinned back and she is growling. She does not want me near her while she’s eating. If I were to approach, her behavior may escalate © The Cat and Dog House

Dogs’ ears will also often go back when they’re excited, such as when they’re about to have dinner or their favorite person comes home. In this case, the ears are usually only partially back.

The rest of the dog’s body language will be loose and relaxed and accompanied by a happily wagging tail.

In the image at the top of this post, Maggie’s ears are softly back here because she’s excited and just having so much fun playing in the melting snow.

So as you can see, ear placement is a key indicator of a dog’s emotional state and indicative of the dog’s mood so I recommend you pay close attention, in conjunction with the dog’s body posture.

3 ways dogs pin their ears back

Gently back

When the ears are in a relaxed position, a neutral position, or their natural position (depending on the dog’s breed – more on that below) you can be sure you have a happy and relaxed dog.

Partially back

When the ears are slightly back, the dog may be feeling playful, excited, or interested. He may be listening to something or is being vigilant, alert, or curious.

Side view of big tan dog with his ears back, listening
Roman is partly relaxed here but also vigilant. He’s listening carefully because there’s a car going past and he’s trying to figure out if it’s his beloved papa coming home or not © The Cat and Dog House

Flat against the head

When the ears are pinned back against the dog’s head, the dog is feeling fearful, stressed, anxious, or aggressive and may bark, lunge, or even bite if he is provoked or you try to approach him.

The further back and the more tightly pinned the dog’s ears are, the more scared the dog is.

This may be accompanied by growling, snarling, lip curling (revealing the teeth), raised hackles (fur along the dog’s back standing up), a hard stare, stiffened muscles in the body and face, avoiding eye contact, barking, and/or lunging. Extreme caution is advised in such a scenario.

How does my dog feel when he pins his ears back?

To really understand how your dog is feeling, you need to consider the context and look at other cues in the dog’s body language too.

So if your dog is anxious or stressed, you may also see a yawn, or a tongue flick/lip licking. The dog may be hunched over and won’t make eye contact.

In a fearful dog, you may see whale eye (when the whites of the eyes are showing), stiffened musculature, a hard stare, or freezing.

The position of the feet, tail, eyes, and fur must also all be taken into consideration. The more relaxed the dog’s body language, the less emotionally aroused he is.

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How to read your dog’s body language

Knowing how to read your dog’s body language is one of the most important skills a dog owner can have.

By being able to interpret your dog’s signals, you can help them feel more comfortable in situations that might otherwise make him anxious or uncomfortable.

Here are a few tips on how to read your dog’s body language:

Look at your dog’s ears

As we have already discussed, ears that are pulled back tightly against their head usually mean that the dog is feeling threatened or scared. Ears that are pointing backward or sideways can be a sign that the dog is feeling anxious or uncomfortable.

Look at your dog’s eyes

Avoiding eye contact is often a sign that the dog is feeling scared or threatened. If you see your dog’s pupils dilate, this can be a sign of excitement or fear.

Look at your dog’s body

A dog that is hunched over or has his tail between his legs is usually feeling scared or threatened. A dog that is standing tall with its tail held high is usually feeling confident and relaxed.

Look at your dog’s mouth

A relaxed mouth usually means that the dog is feeling comfortable and happy.

A tense mouth can be a sign that the dog is feeling threatened or aggressive.

A dog that is panting heavily or drooling excessively may be feeling anxious or stressed.

Look at your dog’s tail

A wagging tail usually (but not always) means that the dog is happy and relaxed. If the tail is tucked between the legs, it usually means that the dog is feeling scared or anxious.

Look at your dog’s fur

If you see the hair on your dog’s back standing up, this is usually a sign that the dog is feeling scared or threatened.

Look at the position of your dog’s feet

Is he standing with his feet apart, braced for action? Or is he leaning backward, ready to retreat at a moment’s notice?

What if my dog’s ears are always back?

Sometimes dogs pin their ears back to indicate pain. If your dog’s ears are always back, it could be a sign of some sort of medical condition and it may be a good idea to take him to the vet for an examination.

If your dog has something in his ear, such as an errant pine needle or an insect, he may shake his head to try to dislodge it from the ear canal.

He may keep his ear flat because it feels uncomfortable.

Any underlying cause for ear problems, such as ear infections, or if the dog has ear mites, can have a similar effect.

Dog ears come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes across different dog breeds.

They range from the droopy long ears of the basset hound to the semi-pricked ears of the collie (and not forgetting the floppy-eared dogs such as cocker spaniels.

And again, from the pointy ears (aka erect ears) seen in German shepherds to the bat ears sported by French bulldogs and the “drop ears” seen in the Jack Russell terrier.

So this will also play a part in the way a dog will move his ears.

Fascinating facts about the canine ear

Dogs use their ears for hearing, listening, and communicating.

According to VetSource, dogs’ ears contain “about 18 muscles” meaning they have an astonishing range of ear movement. They can move them backward, forwards, up, down, and sideways, and also rotate them one at a time, completely independently of each other.

Dogs’ ears are ultra-sensitive, their hearing ranges are wider than the human ear, and they can hear higher frequencies than we can.

According to the American Kennel Club, “dogs can hear sounds as high as 47,000 to 65,000 Hz” whereas the average human adult “cannot hear sounds above 20,000 Hertz (Hz).”

Dogs use their ears for more than just hearing.

They also help with balance and keeping bugs, and in our case here in Finland, pine needles out!

Final thoughts

A dog’s ears can tell you a lot about how he’s feeling. If you see your dog’s ears pinned back, take note of his other body language and try to determine what might be causing the reaction. Of course, if you’re ever concerned about your dog’s health, don’t hesitate to contact your veterinarian.

By taking everything I’ve talked about here into consideration, you should be able to get a pretty good idea of how your dog is feeling at any given moment. If you are ever unsure, it is always best to err on the side of caution.

And if your dog is struggling with fear or anxiety, or is behaving aggressively, it is always best to contact a professional for help.

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