what does it mean when a dog flips its ears back?

Question

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!

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

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

Putting the ears back can mean a lot of different things. Sometimes it's the dog paying attention to things that are going on behind him. Sometimes they'll do it if an unusual noise catches their attention. It can also be a sign of submissiveness or fear. And they can even use the "flipping back" to close off their ears if there are very loud noises, such as a firetruck driving by, for example.

I would suggest you learn more about canine body language at one of the following links -

- http://www.petfinder.com/journal/docs/CanineBody.pdf
- http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/diagrams.html
- http://www.doggonesafe.com/dog%20communication.htm
- http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/calmingsignals.html

Answer 3

lol...dogs DON'T flip their ears cuz it "feels good" or just for the heck of it lol. It certainly DOES have meaning.

But it depends on the rest of the dogs body language at the time. If the dog is YOUR dog and does it every time you go to pet him or he comes up to you...this is a sign of submissive respect to you as pack leader.

IF a STRAY dog does this slowly walking towards you, head lowered.....its signaling a possible attack, it considers you a threat. DON'T RUN FROM A DOG LIKE THIS, it will give chase. Freeze and stand "like a tree".

Dogs gesture with their body the same way humans gesture with our hands and expressions.

Answer 4

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..

Answer 5

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.

Answer 6

It really doent mean anything at all. All dogs with ears big enough will fip them at some point in time. I dont think they do it on purpose. Usually happens when they shake their heads.

Answer 7

If his ears are back and he's wagging his tail, he's happy. If his ears are back and his tail is not moving, he's scared.

Answer 8

My black lab mix does the same thing. I think it is just natural, but i am still scrtching my head about it, too. I think it just accidentally gets up there and they have a hard time getting it back down!

Answer 9

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.

Answer 10

My husband feels it is to help cool them down....