Why does my dog lower its head to the ground?

If your dog has been lowering its head to the ground a lot, you’re probably wondering why and what you can do about it. This post will show you four common reasons why dogs do it and what your options are.

So, why does my dog lower its head to the ground? Possible reasons why your dog lowers its head to the ground are being submissive, injury, or being anxious.

There are actually multiple possible causes, and it might be due to a combination of causes. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main causes, and there are many things you can do about them.

Reasons why your dog lowers its head to the ground

Below are some possible causes and what would make them more likely.

It is being submissive

The reason why it does it is likely to be that it is being submissive. This would be especially likely if it does it more when you are annoyed with it or when it is around a larger dog.

Injury

Another possible cause is that it has gotten an injury. This would be more likely if it has started doing it suddenly, it has been lowering its head to the ground constantly and if it has been reluctant to move like normal. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.

Anxiety

It could also be the case that something has been causing it to be anxious. This would be more likely if it lowers its head when it is more likely to be anxious such as when there are unusual noises coming from outside like thunder.

Things to consider

Below are some things to consider when figuring out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.

The timing of when your dog lowers its head to the ground

It would help to consider the timing of when it does it since the timing could have something to do with it. For example, if it only does it when it is around other animals, it would be more likely that it is being submissive. Whereas, if it does it at random times, it could be due to anxiety or being injured.

Other body language signs that it shows

It would also help to consider other body language signs that it shows. If it shows other submissive signs, such as rolling onto its back, it would be more likely that it is doing it due to being submissive. Whereas, if it shows other signs of being anxious such as crying, it would be more likely that it is doing it due to being anxious.

What to do about your dog lowering its head to the ground

Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.

Be calm with it

If your dog has been lowering its head around you a lot, it might be because it is intimidated. It would help to be calm around it and to get it to behave the way you want it to with the use of positive reinforcement training.

Take it to a vet

If it has been doing it excessively or it has been showing other signs of being injured, it would help to take it to a vet for a checkup. By doing so, you should be able to get expert advice tailored towards your dog.

Limit reasons why it might be anxious

It would also help to limit the reasons why it might be anxious. Things to do could include: ensuring that the room it stays in is ideal for it and that it can get exercise, food, water and a chance to pee before being left alone.