Researchers at Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest, Hungary, tested a theory that a dog's adorable head tilt could be linked to their ability to process the names of objects Digital News Writer ...

If a dog isn’t accustomed to head pats, they may simply be reacting to the unfamiliarity of the motion. Puppies, for example, may duck away until they’ve had more positive exposure to gentle pats.

In a three-month-long program aimed at teaching both GWL and "typical" dogs the names of two toys, GWL dogs tilted their heads much more frequently than typical dogs – at 43% vs 2% of trials.