Dogs are able to pick up on things that humans cannot, such as minute smells and very high and very low-pitched sounds, so no wonder they often seem so curious to us; they might be on to something we don't even realize.

A very cute example of their desire to learn might be the head tilt. Even though researchers don't know for sure why our canine friends do this, they aren't short on theories.

Dr. Mary Burch, for example, thinks the head tilt is a dog's way of showing interest or curiosity about a sound. The animal behaviorist and director of the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen program, says dogs may tilt their heads in order to better hear words and phrases that mean something to them.

"Clearly, the canine sense of hearing is so acute that a dog can hear perfectly well when we are speaking to her without putting one ear closer to the speaker," Burch says. "However, [the tilted head] could enhance listening for certain phrases such as, ‘Go for a ride?'"

Indeed, dogs recognize words that have desirable outcomes, such as walks, meals, or toys, agrees Dr. John Ciribassi, a veterinary behaviorist with Chicagoland Veterinary Behavior Consultants. According to him, dogs react to the words by tilting their head, a possible sign they are concentrating on what’s being said and hoping to recognize more words.

Dogs love to sniff, lick and paw at objects to find out what they are, and if they are edible, of course. So if you have a really curious dog, it's best to keep a closer eye on your companion to help him stay away from trouble.