When I Give Commands My Yorkie Pulls His Ears Back

Okay, unpopular opinion alert! I think my Yorkie, Mr. Snuggles, is secretly judging me.

And the evidence? It's all in the ears. Specifically, the way he pulls them back when I give him a command.

The Ear Situation

You know how Yorkies are. Floppy ears, usually perked up like little satellite dishes. Cute, right?

Except when those cute little satellite dishes morph into… well, something less cute. More like…disapproving flags.

Seriously, the minute I say, “Mr. Snuggles, sit!” those ears go back. Back, back, back. Like he’s bracing for impact. Or bracing for my terrible command-giving skills.

Is He Afraid?

Everyone says it's fear. "Oh, he's scared, you're being too harsh!" they exclaim.

Harsh? I’m practically whispering! I’m offering treats! I sound like a Disney princess trying to befriend a squirrel!

Plus, he only does it for certain commands. “Stay”? Full ear retreat. “Leave it”? Ears plastered to his head.

The Selective Hearing Theory

But "Walkies!"? Ears practically stand on end, vibrating with excitement.

"Treat time?" Full attention, ears locked and loaded. No backward movement whatsoever. Hmm…

This leads me to believe it's not fear. It’s… selective obedience. Or, dare I say, selective listening?

The Judgement Factor

I think he knows I'm slightly ridiculous. He sees me in my pajamas at 3 PM, trying to teach him advanced tricks I saw on YouTube.

He hears me singing off-key while I refill his water bowl. He’s judging my life choices, people!

Those ears aren’t retracting out of fear. They're retracting out of sheer, unadulterated Yorkie judgement.

Decoding the Ear Signals

So, I've started analyzing the ear signals. Back and flat? "Seriously, Mom? We're doing this again?"

One ear slightly twitching? "Okay, I'll humor you. But only because I want the treat."

Ears completely ignoring me, staring off into space? “I'm thinking about squirrels. And world domination.”

My Response?

Look, I get it. I'm not a professional dog trainer. I'm just a person who loves her Yorkie a little too much.

Maybe my commands are confusing. Maybe my tone is off. Maybe he just thinks I look silly wearing his squeaky toy as a hat (don't judge).

But here’s the thing: I'm okay with being judged. By my Yorkie, anyway.

Embrace the Judgement

Because even with his judgy ears, Mr. Snuggles still curls up next to me on the couch. He still licks my face when I’m sad.

He still wags his little tail like crazy when I come home. (Even if his ears are pulled back slightly.)

So, bring on the ear-pulling. Bring on the silent Yorkie assessment. I can handle it.

He's Still My Best Friend

Because at the end of the day, he's my weird, wonderful, judgy little best friend.

And I wouldn't trade him for all the perfectly obedient, non-ear-retracting dogs in the world. (Okay, maybe a little bit of me would… but don't tell him I said that!).

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Yorkie to bribe with treats. And maybe, just maybe, I'll try to learn a new command. Wish me luck (and ear-plugs).

And I am pretty sure Mr. Snuggles pulls his ears back when I sing in the shower!