Loud noises are bothersome to our ears.
So, imagine what it’s like for your dog!
A dog’s hearing is far better than yours or mine.
In fact, your dog may hear something before you do. He may even be hearing something that you are completely unable to hear.
When you and I are around loud noises, we have the opportunity to plug our ears with our fingers or put in a pair of earplugs. By doing this, we are protecting our hearing.
Unfortunately, dogs don’t have the option to plug their ears.
So the question is… just how much do loud noises harm a dog’s hearing?
Loud Noises And Dogs
Some of the loud noises that could potentially harm a dog’s hearing are:
The Deaf Dog Action Fund summarizes all of the causes and treatments for dog hearing loss.
And here are dog owners’ tips for living with a deaf dog.
Noise trauma is a serious issue for dogs. In fact, the veterinary clinic at Mississippi State did a study on the affects of loud noises and dogs’ hearing. They studied a healthy dog with good hearing and a hunting dog that had been around the sounds of gun shots. The hunting dog showed significant signs of hearing loss.
Ways To Protect Your Dog’s Hearing
Your best bet is to prevent your dog from constantly being exposed to the same repetitive loud noise over and over again. That type of noise trauma causes the most damage.
If you’re looking for a temporary way to protect your dog’s hearing, there are dog ear plugs.
One example is Mutt Muffs. They are ear muffs (or headphones) made specifically to fit a dog. The Mutt Muffs will protect a dog’s hearing no matter what the loud noise is!
I have taken my oldest min pin to the drag races before. She always did good while she was at the races. If the loud noise bothered her, she never let on it did. I did try to put a pair of ear plugs in her ears once. She just looked at me kind of funny and started to shake her head trying to get the foreign object out of her ears!
I have 2 Miniature Pinschers. My husband and I consider them our 4-legged kids.
