# Ears go down when greeting/new experience?



## SkyBreeze (Dec 16, 2010)

Everytime our pup greets us I.e when let out of the crate her ears go right back? We were walking her yesterday and she saw and sniffed a bicycle and the same thing happened again. What does it mean? She's nearly 15 weeks.


----------



## RogueRed26 (Jul 15, 2010)

She is probably enduring a fearful stage. Puppies go through these for the entire year. One day, your dog will be fine with bikes and another she could be fearful of them. My dog is currently now fearful of children and plastic bags, something she was not fearful of just a month ago. All you can do is reassure her that it is not a threat. Just make sure to not force fearful situations on her, try to do it gradually and with as much reassurance as possible. Treats could be helpful in these situations. Whenever she is fearful of something, reassure her and give her a treat to get her to associate the experience with something good.


----------



## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

It's a doggie signal. It's probably either uncertainty or sign of submission. It's kind of difficult to tell for sure without actually seeing the dog in person.


----------



## SkyBreeze (Dec 16, 2010)

Her tails still wagging when she meets us - hopefully it's nothing to worry about.

She definitely doesnt have a lack in confidence that's for sure!


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Ears down is an appropriate show of submission. It can also be a sign of concentration, as with the bicycle. Approaching people and other dogs (or bicycles!) with ears down is completely appropriate for a young pup. Hard to tell without seeing the whole picture, but it does not sound like fear.


----------



## Todd (Sep 6, 2004)

With Heidi I think the routine is something like:

I get home ears down, tail wagging - "Real glad to see you, where you been?"
I get home ears down, head down, tail between legs - "You left the trash out and I couldn't stop myself, sorry about the mess." (Fortunately she only gets into it about once every three months and I only put it away when there's something I think she would want to investigate)

She would not be a good poker player...


----------



## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

SkyBreeze said:


> Everytime our pup greets us I.e when let out of the crate her ears go right back? We were walking her yesterday and she saw and sniffed a bicycle and the same thing happened again. What does it mean? She's nearly 15 weeks.


My dogs always do this with their ears all the time. They do it to me when they are happy and greeting. They do it to each other. They do it to my friends. 

Ears up is alert and listening.

Ears down is happy and greeting. 

Watch Glory greeting everyone at this dog show...


----------



## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

Wolfie has his ears back the whole time we are taking a walk. He just loves to go for a walk. I can't even say that word, I have to spell it, or he will go nuts with happiness : ) He puts his ears back whenever he is really happy.


----------



## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

My dogs do this when they are happy too and also when they are walking like Wolfie does. It seems to be a sign of contentness and happiness or excitment. I think Jackson is so cute when he does this!


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

That's sometimes referred to as otter head. Halo puts her ears back when she swims, and she actually DOES look like an otter, lol!


----------



## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

all my dogs put their ears back when they're happy and they dont like something. but usually being happy is when we see it most. Those tails start wagging and the ears go down. its like they dont have the energy to hold their ears up while they power that wrecking ball tail!


----------



## ebliss (May 27, 2010)

Castlemaid said:


> Ears down is an appropriate show of submission. It can also be a sign of concentration, as with the bicycle. Approaching people and other dogs (or bicycles!) with ears down is completely appropriate for a young pup. Hard to tell without seeing the whole picture, but it does not sound like fear.


My Greta tries to get as small as she can around children. Lies down, ears down, and very submissive. I think she's consciously doing this to not be threatening to anyone of them.


----------



## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

Jamie's ears go down all of the time. For her it is a sign of submission and/or happiness. She does this when she enters a room or meets anyone or other animals. Her ears go down and that tail starts wagging. She is very friendly with people and other animals thankfully. She shows her emotions through her ears and tail just like people do with their facial expressions.


----------

