Ears are a fantastic indicator of what your pup is trying to tell you.
Relaxed / Content: When your dog is relaxed, his ears will sit in a neutral position. This means they are not pricked forward, drooping down, or forced back. Whatever the breed or ear type, the ears are where they naturally sit.
A relaxed Aussie
Alert / Playful: Your dog will prick her ears forward to show alertness - something has caught her attention, be it a non-threatening noise she wants to investigate or her ball you are about to throw. This is coupled with relaxed body language such as an open mouth and relaxed tongue.
Someone has this Papillon's ball ... She's alert and focused with her ears forward and wants to play!
Alert / Concerned: Your dog will also prick his ears forward, but produce a stiff stature when alert but unsure, or concerned.
This guy just heard a noise - he is processing and determining if it is a threat. His ears are up, body stiff, tail lifted and mouth shut.
Friendly / Submissive: If your dog wants to show "I'm promise I'm friendly", often to a fearful human that they have received scared body language communication from, they will drop their ears back gently. A dog is showing they are harmless and want to be social through this ear position.
Gently pulled back Ears + Kisses = I Love You Mom!
Fearful: If your pup is afraid and feeling threatened, they will pull their ears back and down forcefully. Typically they will hunch, and also put their tail down and between their legs. Be cautious, this can turn to aggression in almost any dog if not corrected.
This pup has her ears pulled back tightly, is leaning away from the perceived threat and hunched over.
So next time you're talking to your pooch (we all do it), take a minute, look at her ears, and see what she's saying back!
~ Ash & Pebbles
*Photos credits to dogtime.com, kootation.com, tumbler.com
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