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Understanding
Your Dog's Hearing
Dogs hear
a lot better than people do, partly because their ears are incredibly
mobile. They have 15 different muscles that can move the ears in all
directions. This helps them detect and understand sounds no matter
where they're coming from. Head cocking is a tool they use to hear
clearly. Dogs shouldn't be doing it all the time, however. When they
are, they may need some extra help to hear. Speak in a higher voice.
One way dogs decide what's worth listening to and what isn't call for
help is by the sound frequency. High-pitched sounds get their
attention, probably because they resemble the sounds made by
traditional prey such as rabbits and chipmunks.
Pitching your voice
upward will get your dog's attention and let him know that he needs to
listen carefully to what you're about to say. Stand where he can see
you. Even though a substantial portion of a dog's brain is devoted to
sound, a dog always uses his other senses to augment what he's hearing.
Standing in front of your dog will allow him to watch your face, eyes,
posture, and body movements while you talk. Even if your dog isn't
hearing clearly, he'll be able to gather a lot of information from your
body language about what you're trying to tell him.
Trim the ears. Dogs with unusually hairy ears may hear a little better
if you remove some of the fluff. You can use blunt-ended scissors to
trim some hair from the outer part of the ear flaps, but groomers
usually prefer plucking. However, dogs don't enjoy having their ears
plucked and will often put up a fight, so you may want to pay a groomer
to do it for you.
Dogs may cock their heads to the sides often. Even though it's normal
for dogs to cock their heads in order to hear (and see) better, they
shouldn't be doing it too often. A dog whose head seems to be in
perpetual tilt mode probably has an ear problem that isn't going to get
better on its own. A damaged eardrum or an inner ear infection can make
it hard for dogs to hear.
In some cases, ear problems can throw off a
dog's internal sense of balance, which will also cause him to tilt his
head. Any time a dog carries his head tilted for more than a few
minutes, he needs to visit his veterinarian.
Lastly, dogs with ear infections often shake their heads as well as
tilt them. Use a flashlight to light the inside of your dog's ear. If
you see redness or a discharge, or if you smell an unpleasant odor, he
probably has an infection and is going to need antibiotics to knock it
out.
There are more
information articles on all aspects of basics dog training, dog health
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Understanding
Your Dog's Hearing
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