Dog Hearing Range Explained Simply

Your dog goes ears-a-perk because it hears something you can't. Why? Because this is the phenomenal world of the dog's hearing range. Dogs hear from 40 Hz to 60 kHz. We humans? We hear from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. That ultrasonic whistle that sends our pooch scurrying? Ours is a silent sound in our world.

Your dog's sense of hearing also explains why the jingles of car keys make your dog fly to the door before you ever see the car leaving. Your dog can hear dog whistles that you can't even perceive ... so use this knowledge to train your pooch too. Save your sensitive buddy's ears from LOUD noises. Create a safer surrounding by using your dog's natural abilities!

Everyday noises, from the crack of fireworks to the whir of blenders and power tools, can injure sensitive canine ears. Even hair dryers are harmful. Breeds prone to deafness, such as Dalmatians, may benefit from additional protection against these seemingly innocuous culprits.

Keep your dog's ears clean. To help prevent infections that could affect his hearing in the long term, clean his ears monthly using a cleanser approved by your veterinarian. Squeeze drops into the ear canal. Hold the ear flap and move it back and forth a few times. Wipe away debris at the flap or base with a cotton ball. Never use cotton swabs deep inside the ear.

Watch for signs of hearing trouble. Your dog ignores commands once known. They sleep through doorbells. They cannot wake when called. Likewise, they get startled from the side. They shake their heads, scratch, and rub their ears against furniture, the floor, and you. Such changes in habit responses suggest damage affecting hearing.

Prevention starts with breeding. For floppy-eared breeds like Cocker Spaniels, keep the dog's ears dry and maintain proper ear hygiene to prevent infections. Working breeds, such as German Shepherds, are prone to exposure to machinery noise. All dogs could use a bit of white noise when storms roll through and an annual check to see if they can hear you say "treat."

Aging dogs tend to lose their hearing for high-frequency sounds first, and this usually begins to occur when the dog reaches the ages of five to eight years; it becomes more difficult for the dog to hear high-pitched sounds such as whistles, and then other sounds that are mid-range in frequency, and eventually low-frequency sounds; German shepherds and miniature poodles in particular seem to be predisposed to develop this problem.

Changes in behaviour indicating hearing impairment: Your dog may ignore you when giving a command he always obeyed willingly. He may be unaware of the doorbell ringing or the smell of food cooking. He may be startled by you suddenly moving towards him, not hearing you approach. He is slowly becoming deaf.

Modify your communication as he hears less. Use hand signals instead of verbal cues. Use light flashes instead of verbal commands. Use patterns of vibrations for specific alerts. These visual and tactile methods will help your senior dog stay engaged.

Protect your remaining hearing from loud noises and barking. Book regular vet checks and keep your ears clean and infection-free. For breeds susceptible to deafness, start regular checks as early as possible. Taking simple steps like this allows dogs to enjoy a high quality of life well into their golden years.

These produce sounds in the ultrasonic range of 23-54 kHz, which is far above the limit of human hearing at 20 kHz. Your dog can hear these high-pitched sounds perfectly well... The whistle emits a distinct signal that only the dog can hear, making it perfect for calling without disturbing people.

Use whistles to facilitate training recalls. A sharp, high blast means return, and the shorter sound halts unnecessary barking; the blast grabs their attention instantly and serves as a neutral signal not tied to your state of mind.

A note about safety with ultrasonic devices: quality whistles are low enough in decibels (under 85) so that they don't harm your ears. However, it's essential to test the volume at various distances, starting with your finger, during shorter training sessions. Please don't blow it directly into your dog's ears, and everyone wins.

Whistling has its limitations. Senior dogs often lose their high-frequency hearing fairly early in life. At the same time, breeds that are more prone to deafness, such as Dalmatians, might not respond to whistles at all. For these dogs, consider switching to vibration collars or using simple hand signals to communicate. Always keep in mind that we are talking about your dog here.

Border Collies are among the top when it comes to hearing, able to hear frequencies as high as 60 kHz. Their large semi-pricked ears can rotate us to 270 degrees; this is how distant sheep can be heard whistling! Slightly wider than the average dog, by as much as 15%, they're known as excellent hearing companions.

German Shepherds hear exactly up to 55 kHz and even have directional perception. As piercing as human voices, their erect ears amplify sound as well. Police forces use this breed since they hear criminals' sounds the soonest. They hear up to 20% less sound than security-breed dogs.

Labrador retrievers have the ability to hear sounds as high as 40 kilohertz, even with their floppy ears. The pendulous nature of their ears helps channel sounds from below: all this makes them perfect hearing dogs; they can alert their owners to door bells and alarms through filtering rather better than we can.

Breed hearing ranges differ. Border Collies hit 60 kHz. Cocker Spaniels reach the same frequency despite having floppy ears; German Shepherds peak at 55 kHz. Labs lag at 50 kHz. Australian Cattle Dogs reach 50 kHz on rugged terrain. Different dogs serve specific environments.

Your dog's hearing extends in the other direction of the scale, too, at least 40 Hz to 60 kHz; human hearing tops out at 20 kHz. Your pet hears sounds that are well above the reach of your ear, such as high-pitched secret communications among furry friends. This leg-up from high-frequency hearing gives your pet a sensory edge, too!

Dogs hear quieter sounds than we do. They hear 5-15 decibels less than our ears can hear. That's why your dog often hears a distant rumble of thunder before you do. Their ears have evolved to detect quiet movements in the grass.

Ear mobility is a great advantage for direction. Your dog's ears can rotate independently of each other, utilizing 18 muscles attached to each ear. We have only six muscles in our ears altogether! This allows your dog to pinpoint a squirrel making noises in the bushes long before he sees it.

Evolution shaped this hearing advantage. Dogs have evolved the ability to detect ultrasonic sounds, which helps them hunt small prey, such as rodents. Humans evolved hearing that is particularly sensitive to speech stimuli below 8 kHz, which enables us to communicate effectively. Similarly, your dog's hearing evolved to aid survival tasks, and yours to focus on communication.

Your dog hears incredibly well compared to you - capable of hearing ultrasonic sounds up to 60 kHz, whereas you are limited to 20 kHz. Your dog hears faint sounds up to several miles away. It is easy to understand how astonishing its hearing is when you consider how much more information the dog receives through its ears than you do.

Your dog's ears are truly remarkable. To protect them, steer clear of fireworks, power tools, and other loud noises. Use a vet-approved ear cleaning solution once a month. Play white noise when there is thunder. Ask your vet about hearing issues in senior dogs. These simple steps will help preserve the gifts they were born with for years to come!

Remember, breed differences are important. The floppy-eared breeds tend to need drier conditions. The pointy-eared breeds require careful monitoring of noise levels. The seniors will benefit from visual commands across the board. Adapt care, without favoring one breed over another, by considering the strengths each breed has in hearing.

Relish how your dog hears. The world is a different place with the connection to you felt through their ears. There's that delightful head tilt, with downward-tilted ears, as you speak, and the flight of glee when your car turns into the driveway.