science

[thomas.young]

why does a dog lean its head to one side when its concentrating ?

[alavahalf]

Whats it concentrating on...

Have you had it's eyes tested recently..?

[growlybear]

I put my head to one side when I'm concentrating. What does that make me? Second thoughts. Don't answer that.

[clio57]

Growlybear. My dog looks intelligent but cute when he put his head on one side to concentrate. Is this a good description of you too?

[growlybear]

My friends say I'm a complete fruit and nut case. I'm taking that as a secret code for cute.

[fredpuli47]

And if you wait long enough, it'll lean it's head the other way next! My guess is that the dog is turning its head about a vertical access to get a different perspective for its eyes and different hearing from its ears, an attempt to get as much information as possible to resolve the question. A puzzled or concentrating dog sometimes flares its nostrils too, presumably for the same reason.
One thing almost every dog does when suddenly puzzled or intrigued, is to make a question mark ! It'll stop and raise one front leg and crook it , as though making the shape of an inverted question [interrogation] mark with it. I've got no explanation for that!

[fredpuli47]

I think I meant 'vertical axis' not 'access' LOL. (I blame the clocks going forward just now!)

[stelladrinka]

Dogs brains are so light and fluffy that as soon as a thought enters either cortex it causes that side to weigh considerably more causing the tilt. The dog may sometimes try and compensate for this by tilting the other way which causes the heavy thought to travel to the other side ending up in the opposite tilt.
Well that's what I think as I write this with my head on one side. :-)