Can you ‘ear’ me now? Check out these fun facts about one of a dog’s cutest features—and source of their second most powerful sense. Yep, we’re talking about dog ears. How many of these facts did you know?
A dog’s ears can move independently, using over 18 different muscles.
Bloodhounds have the world’s longest ears
Tigger the bloodhound holds the Guinness world record for longest ears— 13.5″ and 13.75″ respectively.
Dogs use their ears to signal their mood
via GIPHY
Forward for alert, back for relaxed and friendly, and WAY back = submissive or fearful.
Dog hearing aids and ear protection are real things
Yes, hard-of-hearing dogs can make use of a hearing aid— just like people! And for dogs that work in noisy spaces, dog ear protectors called ‘Mutt Muffs‘ are just the thing to keep their ears healthy.
Scientists believe dogs tilt their heads to better focus on a sound or voice
Dogs can hear much better than a human being
By Cmglee – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
Human hearing range is roughly between 20 hertz and 20 kilohertz, including much lower frequencies than what dogs can hear. Dogs hear sounds starting at 64 hertz on up, past the human range to the higher registers at 44 kilohertz.
Prick, fold, and filbert. Dog ear types all have special names
There’s a unique lingo used when describing dog ears, and here are some of the basics.
Puppies are born deaf
The ear canals of newborn pups are closed at birth, and don’t open for about a week.