Why Do Male Dogs Bite Female Dogs Ears?

Reviewed By Julie •  Updated: 07/31/22 •  3 min read
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Why Do Male Dogs Bite Female Dogs Ears?

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Have you ever noticed a male and female dog playing? They can be really cute and fun to watch! But what happens when a male dog bites the female’s ears? Are they just having fun, or is something else going on?

We’ve put together some information about this behavior and what it can mean! Let’s get started!

Why Do Dogs Bite Each Other’s Ears?

There are different reasons dogs bite one another’s ears, and it depends on what’s going on at the time. In some cases, the dogs may be playing together. You may notice this kind of play between puppies or even adult dogs. And it’s completely innocent.

However, if the male dog happens to bite the female’s ear too hard, she may react by crying, jumping away, or even attacking him. This may happen if the male is being too aggressive and causing harm to the female dog.

Showing Dominance

Another reason a male dog may bite a female’s ears is to show his dominance. This may happen during playtime or at another time. The male dog may nip the female’s ears and even pull her ears to show who’s in charge.

Remember that dogs are social animals and still have the natural instincts of their wild cousins. In the wild, canines live in packs, with one male and one female leader. All the other dogs must be under their authority. The dominant dogs may bite the ears of their packmates to discipline them, show their authority, and more.

During Mating

Male dogs may also bite a female’s ears when she’s in heat, and he wants to mate. Again, the male may be trying to show his interest but may also be showing his dominance over the female.

The male dog may try to bite her ear if the female is trying to get away. She may not be interested in mating with him, and he’s trying to get her to stay. It’s not pleasant, and the female dog may turn on the male to show him she’s definitely not interested!

What To Do About This Behavior

There’s nothing you need to do unless your male dog is being very aggressive. If he’s drawing blood, trying to start a fight, and more, this is when the behavior needs to be interrupted. Your dog should not be allowed to become this aggressive with another dog.

It may be necessary to distract your dog by giving him a cue, such as “stay,” “sit,” or another he will respond to quickly. If the dogs are fighting, use the wheelbarrow technique to separate them. This involves two people—each one grabs the hind legs of one dog and pulls them away from the other dog. This technique keeps you from being bitten and safely separates the two dogs.

Finally, if training your dog not to bite ears or distracting him doesn’t work, you may want to work with a professional dog trainer or dog behaviorist to help you solve this problem.

It may take time and effort, but it’s worth it to get your dog to stop biting female dogs’ ears.

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Julie

Julie is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, where she studied Animal science. Though contrary to the opinion of her parents she was meant to study pharmacy, but she was in love with animals especially cats. Julie currently works in an animal research institute (NGO) in California and loves spending quality time with her little cat. She has the passion for making research about animals, how they survive, their way of life among others and publishes it. Julie is also happily married with two kids.