El ear it is one of the most developed senses of the dog. These animals are capable of hearing frequencies impossible for humans to detect, picking up sounds at a great distance and extremely high pitched. That is why they hate loud noises and they need us to speak to them with a soft, calm voice in order to educate them.
While humans perceive sounds from 6 feet away, dogs can hear sounds from 25 feet or more. Your ear registers up to 35.000 vibrations per second, being four times more evolved than ours. In fact, their hearing range is from 10.000 to 50.000 Hz, being that of people from 16.000 to 20.000 Hz. And it is that dogs have 17 muscles in each ear, compared to 9 in human ears.
However the hearing capacity of these animals varies depending on the breed. If they have erect ears like the German Shepherd or Alaskan Malamute, they will hear more easily. However, lop-eared dogs such as the Beagle or the Cocker spaniel do not have such fine hearing. Although the operation in all races is very similar. The same happens with age, since an adult dog has less hearing capacity than a young one, and can even become deaf.
On the other hand, dogs are capable of picking up very low sounds also when they are asleep. What's more, his ear is very selectiveas they can easily distinguish noises outside the ambient sound.
It is for all this that the dogs are very sensitive to tones of voice. They usually show very positive reactions to quiet and pleasant sounds, but on the contrary, they are very annoying towards loud noises. For this reason, we must use a firm tone to scold them, but never yell.
How does the ear of dogs work?
Without a doubt, one of the senses that dogs have better developed is hearing, through which they are able to perceive sounds at frequencies that are simply imperceptible to humans. So you have a good idea As humans we can hear sounds that are produced from 6 meters away quite clearly, but in the case of our canine friend this rises considerably, making it possible for them to hear perfectly at 25 meters or maybe a little more.
Of course, this hearing capacity will depend a lot on the breed of the dog, since you will have noticed that there are specimens whose ears are erect while others have them down and long, all of which influences the ability to listen.
But how do the ears of dogs work, which allow this auditory acuity? Well, let's start by saying that this organ consists of three parts: outer, middle and inner ear.
When a sound wave originates that is striking for the dog, it is immediately detected by the most exposed part of your ear, which is the ear, from where this sound is channeled. The pinna is a very functional part that allows good mobility, thanks to its 17 muscles.
From there the sound wave travels through the ear canal to the eardrum, whose L-shaped joint is designed to offer protection. There they generate a vibration of the eardrum and these make the small bones enlarge them even more so that once in the inner ear the dog can identify the type of sound.
It is worth remembering that the middle ear has the function of balancing the body of our dogThis is why when there is an anomaly at this point, it may present erratic movements or falls.
What is the breed of dog with the best hearing?
Without a doubt, the auditory acuity with which dogs are gifted is undeniable, now, talking about a particular breed that stands out over others because of its much more developed hearing is not so simple, although there are some that are distinguished in this particular .
These are:
Schnauzer
All the specimens of this breed, whether the standard or the mini, have the peculiarity that his ears are always very well tuned and therefore, they remain on permanent alert giving immediate response to the sounds they perceive.
Chihuahua
Un mini prick-eared guardian that he knows how to use very well to capture the slightest sound and react energetically to it. They tend to be very noisy dogs, which is precisely due to their fine auditory instinct.
Boston Terrier
One of the breeds that has the best hearing, without a doubt, their ears are similar to that of the bat which usually move at will in the direction in which the vibrations are detected, in order to collect the greatest amount of sonic information from around it.
American eskimo
Also with erect ears, the high capacity to capture sounds combines very well with the guardian and protective instinct of this breed, which is characterized by being very distrustful of strangers. This is how he is always very aware of what happens in his environment, to alert his family preventively.
Mini pinscher
Their small size and lack of strength to take physical protection actions, they compensate very well with their permanent alertness, catching every sound and making a lot of noise to warn you that you are on the lookout.
How many times is the dog's hearing better compared to the human?
Regarding the auditory sensitivity of the dog, we have that the tone of a sound can be measured in Hertz or its cycles Hz and when these exceed 1000, then we speak of Kilohertz or what is the same kHz. For humans it is normal to listen at 16.000 or 20.000 Hz, however for dogs it is normal to perceive sounds at a range of 10.000 to 50.000 Hz. Erect-eared dogs such as the Alaskan Malamute perceive sounds more intensely, due to this morphology.
Take for example the case of fireworks that amuse many, but are so harmful to the ears of dogs. The intensity of a rocket outburst ranges from 85 to 150 decibels, which is comparable to that emitted by a fighter plane that is about 130 db.
Now imagine that your dog, being at the same distance from the blast as you, is going to hear it three times louder, that is, at about 450 dB. This explains quite well how high is their level of sensitivity to human hearing and why firecrackers cause them stress, panic attacks, and rapid heartbeat.
In the case of dogs whose ears are lowered like the Cocker Spaniel, the sensitivity tends to be lower although it will always be much more acute than in humans. Likewise, it must be taken into account that with the advancement of age this sense will diminish and they can even become totally deaf.
It is useless trying to surprise your dog, even when he is sleeping, since have the ability to detect very low sounds being able to even differentiate those that are typical of the environment that surrounds them, from those that are new.
The Dog's Ear: Educating the Deaf Dog
A deaf dog is a very special animal due to its condition, however, at the time of training, the principles are the same as those applied to dogs with all their capacities, since the objective is the same: that the behaviors that we want are consolidated in them through compensation.
Of course you need as a trainer to be even more patient and spend a little more time, until the desired results are achieved. Now, certainly the trainer communicates normally with the dog by using certain commands that it can hear, which is why it is necessary to apply alternative techniques in dogs with hearing impairment.
In this case the most successful is put visual stimuli into practice, which is proven that dogs assimilate quite well even faster than verbal commands. The first thing then would be to determine which are the signs that you are going to use in the process and unify them with the rest of the family.
It is very important that these visual cues always be very clear and uniqueOtherwise, the training will be condemning to failure and you will generate a lot of confusion in the dog, placing it in a position of inability to learn.
The next challenge is keep your pet's attention focused on you, No distractions. For this, the most efficient thing is to have a prize on hand for each behavior that he repeats and learns, being the most indicated small bites of food or sweets for dogs.
This will make it easier for them to focus all their attention on you and capture the signs very well, as well as learn to decipher your body language very well in order to get that delicious prize. This way you reinforce good behaviors and optimize learning, although you can also use caresses or give them a toy.
The ear of the dog in dog training
This sense plays an important role in the training of the dog because it is one of the most developed that it has, thanks to them they perceive a lot of sonic information that when training them you can use to enhance their capabilities.
Not in vain are able to perceive sounds that occur 200 meters or more from where they are located, thanks to the fact that they can orient their ears like radars in the direction that they want, making use of their 17 muscles.
When you as a coach become familiar with the way your ears work, you will know that it is unnecessary to use ultrasound whistles or yell at the dogbecause it listens to you perfectly.
In this sense it will suffice that the orders you give them are with a uniform tone, well marked and always the same So that they understand and comply that punishment is not necessary, on the contrary, you always have to use positive reinforcement and the results will be better.
A well-trained dog whose hearing qualities have been enhanced is capable of supporting a person with hearing impairment, practically becoming their ears.
These acquire the ability to warn the person when listening to the alarm clock, set at the time of medicine, to get up, if the doorbell rings, the fire alarm, if the baby cries, if there is an alert outside home by the sound of a siren, etc.
How to take care of the ear of dogs
Now that you know a little more about dog ear, you know the importance of good hygiene and care of this, since it is one of the senses that can suffer the most. In addition, it is very sensitive to sounds, and, although it deteriorates over time, as it happens to humans, maintaining good cleanliness and health can help you avoid problems (neither present nor future).
But how do you clean a dog's ears? To do this, it is not enough to want to buy a product and throw it on and that's it. No, it is important that, at least once a week, you dedicate time to your pet to help him with the hygiene of his ears (as well as his eyes, his coat ...). But focusing on the ears, what you should do is:
Prepare what you will need
Unless your dog is used to it, because you have done it since childhood, it will cost you a little to clean its ears because dogs do not usually stay still when you touch that area that for them is very sensitive. So It is convenient that you have everything you will need to hand to do it quickly.
And you need? Well, to start with, a few gauze pads, a product to clean the dog's ears, a pair of scissors and some napkins.
Start cleaning outside
Before going inside, you should first clean the outside since, in this way, you will not bring dirt into the ear but it will be removed before. For it, you will have to take a gauze and moisten it. Take your time to clean the area well. You can pour water or even a little hydrogen peroxide, but do not put it in the ear canal to avoid irritating it or the animal trying to escape.
Cut the hair
If you have a dog that has a lot of hair in the area of the ears, you may need to trim the hair a bit so that it does not get into the ear canal, as well as so that there is not so much dirt. This is important because that way you will achieve a better cleaning. Also, if you do this every week you will see that there is less dirt in them.
Other cleaning
Although it is heavy, cleaning the outer part should take longer than the inside and it is because it will be where the greatest amount of dirt accumulates (in addition to the fact that the inner ear does not have much).
Therefore, use the gauze you need, always moistened so that it is the best clean.
Clean the ear canal
Next, touch the ear canal. In this case, you will need a liquid that you can ask your veterinarian to find out which one he recommends. The goal is that pour the liquid into his ears, massage the base of the ear and let it work.
The normal thing is that, once you release it, the dog shakes itself to remove the liquid and it is possible that a part of it comes out, so there will be one last step.
Clean the remains of the ear
Just like you've done before, now You have to clean the external canal again with a sterile and damp gauze to remove the remains Product that has come out of the ear. Do not forget to do it since it is important that everything is very clean.
Situations that can cause ear disease
Finally, we are going to talk to you about the situations that can put a dog's hearing at risk, thereby causing important and serious diseases (such as otitis, deafness, etc.). In this case, we are talking about:
Poor hygiene problems
In other words, not worrying about your dog's ears. Due to its morphology, dogs are unable to properly clean their ears and that is why it is important that you help them. Set aside a little time a week to take care of helping him clean this area (as well as his eyes).
Infections
As it can happen in humans, dogs are not exempt from suffering infections throughout his years, and that implies that you have to take care of your health and be alert to the first symptoms that will help you determine that something is wrong. For example, the fact that the animal turns its head to one side, that its ear is lowered, that it does not let you touch it or that, touching it, it complains even if you do nothing.
Wounds
Wounds can also be common in dogs, especially if you do not take care of their growth, because at the time of scratching they can cause some injury. It can also happen if they hurt themselves, either in a fight, trying to get somewhere, etc.
Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that they are always in good condition and heal them in case there is a wound so that it does not become infected or can influence the inner ear.
Objects or parasites in the inner ear of dogs
Another situation that your dog can go through is that some object lodges in his ear, parasites or even some other little animal that has missed its way and has run into your pet's ear. If that happens, you must remove it as soon as possible so that it does not harm your pet, either yourself or by going to your vet.
Afterwards, the area will have to be taken care of for a few days to see that there are no problems derived from this.
Water
Does your dog like water? Are you one of those who bathes a lot in summer? And in winter? Well, you should know that the fact of taking a bath, and that the water falls into his ear, It can cause ear infections or an infection that needs to be treated.
With this we do not want to tell you not to bathe him, or to do it very occasionally, but that when you do, try to dry his ears very well to avoid future problems in them.