Why does my Labrador shake its head?

If your Labrador has a habit of shaking its head you’re probably wondering why. This post will show you common causes and how to figure out the main cause.

So, why does my Labrador shake its head? Possible reasons are that it’s wet, it has water in its ear, it has an ear infection, it has allergies, there is something stuck in its ears or there might be a more serious cause such as a head injury.

Your Labrador might be doing it for a number of reasons and it could be due to a combination of them. Fortunately, there are also a number of things that you can consider that will help you in figuring out the exact reason.

Why your Labrador shakes its head

Below are some common reasons why Labrador will shake their heads and what would make them more likely to be the reason why yours has been doing it.

It’s wet

The cause could simply be that it is wet. This would be much more likely to be the reason if it does it when it is clearly wet and it also shakes the rest of its body as well. If it only shakes its head it could still be the case that it did it because only its head is wet.

It has water in its ear

Another reason why it might shake its head could be that it has water stuck in its ear. This would be more likely to be the reason if it does it when it has gotten wet earlier in the day.

It has an ear infection

Sometimes, dogs will shake their heads when they have ear infections and it could be the reason why your Labrador has doing it. This would be more likely if it has started doing it suddenly, it is clearly not wet, it has been scratching at its ears and it has been shaking its head repeatedly. If it seems like it might have an ear infection, the best option would be to take it to a vet.

It has allergies

The cause could be that it has some allergies. This would be more likely if it has been scratching it its head a lot, it has started doing it suddenly and it has been doing it when it is dry. Again, in this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.

Something is stuck in its ears

Another possible cause could be that it has something stuck in its ears. This would be more likely if it has been shaking its head vigorously and if it has been rubbing its ears with its paws. It would also be the reason if you can see that there is something stuck in there.

There is a more serious condition

Sometimes, Labrador will shake their heads due to a more serious condition such as neurological disorders and inflammatory diseases. This would be more likely to be the reason if your Labrador has been acting unusually in other ways as well and if its head shaking is especially vigorous. In this case, the best option for you would be to take it to a vet.

Consider when it first started doing it

If your Labrador did not always shake its head, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it.

If your Labrador has started shaking its head a lot suddenly, it would make it more likely to be due to things such as water being stuck in its ears, an ear infection, something being stuck in its ears or allergies. It would help to consider what else it has been doing recently that might have caused it.

If it has been doing it for a while now, it could be due to an ear infection, something being stuck in its ears or it could be a more serious condition. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.

Consider when it does it

It would also help to consider the timing of when it does it.

If it shakes its head more when it is wet, it would be highly likely that it does it because its head is wet and it wants to wick away the water.

Whereas, if it does it when it is dry, it would be more likely to be due to things such as allergies, an ear infection, something being stuck in its ears or a more serious issue.

Consider how often it does it

It would also help to consider how often your Labrador shakes its head. If it does it a lot or there doesn’t seem to be an apparent cause then it would help to take it to a vet to get an expert opinion.