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Dog Aggression - Why Do Some Dogs Get Mad & Snap When Having Their Ears Rubbed?

Are you aware that rubbing and grabbing your dog ears may irritate them? Some dogs can't stand it at all. I know there are many dogs who enjoy the occasional ear rub. Some others  are polar opposites and can be aggressive if you happen to touch their ears.

A situation like this for a dog who dislike the action would be the same as a stranger coming over to you and rubbing you neck. I don't care who you are that's a little unnerving and would make me very uneased. These dogs are not being snobbish or anything like that, it's just that dogs may have different approaches to relating to one another, and towards humans too.

Height has a major role in why a dog dislikes having their ears rubbed. Strangers of a  greater height usually try to rub a dogs ears. If this stranger were a dog he would know that any other domineering dog who experienced this would feel threatened, anxious, and defensive to the stranger towering them.

Dogs do not expect humans to act in the same way as other dogs do, but it is their instincts that cause them to become aggressive when a stranger whom they don't know is hovering above them while reaching down for their ears. For the dog that does not recognize the person, this is not a comfortable scenario.

Of course all of this changes if the dog knows you and is comfortable with you. While an overly aggressive and defensive dog may snap or do their best to get away from an unfamiliar ear-petting, this same dog would anxiously await a good rubbing from an adult or child that they recognize and feel comfortable around.

Some Dogs Love It

Having mentioned dogs with dominant personalities who do not like having their ears rubbed by strangers, there are also dogs who are just naturally submissive and could care less who or what is trying to rub their ears. 

Regardless of how dominant another person or dog is who is hovering above him with outstretched hands, the submissive dog only knows one reaction and that is to welcome this physical petting.  In fact, just like my Chihuahua does, he or she may roll over on its back to show respect to the larger dog or human no matter if he knows them or not.