Body language explained

PART 4: THE HEAD

Dogs don’t have quite the same range of facial expressions as we do, but you can still tell a lot about their moods by looking at how they hold their head.

One of the expressions most of us will be familiar with is the adorable head tilt. When a dog sees or hears something new, they tip their head to one side and raise their eyebrows. This helps them to see more clearly and allows them to work out which direction a sound is coming from.

Researchers at the University of Bern in Switzerland found that dogs use other facial expressions too. When they are anticipating good things, they move their ears forward; when they are disappointed, they move their ears back and lick their noses.