It is truly surprising how dogs’ senses surpass what people believe they can. One of the things that surprises dog owners is how far away their dogs can hear. They can detect things that humans cannot. Others even believe that dogs have a sixth sense because of their strong senses.dogs are naturally good and they use their senses for a good reason but how do they actually use their sense of hearing?
Do you often hear your dog barking towards the door for no reason? And later on, you’ll hear a delivery truck pull up or someone walk past your door. It is not their instinct kicking in. It’s their sense of hearing working on hyperdrive.
The Science Behind Dogs’ Ears
There are a total of 18 muscles in a dog’s ear and every muscle plays a critical role in their abilities. Dogs’ ears are not just for hearing, it helps them balance and express their emotions. You can get a bit of understanding with what they are thinking by the way their ears move. And of course, their ears offer an extensive range of hearing.
A newborn puppy up to 21 days of life cannot hear just yet. After 21 days, they start to develop their sense of hearing based on what they hear in their surroundings. Immediately after a couple of weeks, they will fully develop their sense of hearing and hear things humans cannot detect with our ears.
Dogs and humans hear at the same low frequency of sound. But dogs can hear higher frequencies of sound at 70-100 kHz, while humans can only hear till 20 kHz. In general assumption, dogs can hear at least three times better than humans do. It is the reason why dog trainers use high frequency whistles that we can’t hear but dogs can hear loud and clear. This is why some of the dog owners refusing using any kind of dog trackers. They know that dog most likely will hear the voice of the owner.
Dogs are also capable of distinguishing things based on the sound it creates. It’s one of the reasons why they go crazy over the sound of opening a food bag. They also don’t react to small noises outside that don’t pose any danger to them, or you’ll probably see their ears perk up but immediately ignore whatever they heard outside.
The Origin of Dogs’ Sense of Hearing
Dogs aren’t originally dogs. They are not cute and cuddly. The dogs that we love today actually came from wolves. In history, humans and wolves hunted separately until such a time that both species recognized the benefit they get from working together. Humans started feeding wolves and wolves protected their community from other dangerous predators. Over time, the wolves domesticated into calm, smaller, and cuter creatures that we now know as dogs.
Naturally, wolves have better hearing than dogs but dogs still have a much better hearing than humans. It is said that dogs with perked up ears hear better than dogs with floppy ears. It is because a perked up ear can have all 18 muscles move and directed towards the direction of the sound.
Signs That Your Dog Is Hearing Something You Don’t
As a pet owner, it is good to familiarize yourself with how your dog acts or the way it moves its body. It helps you understand them better. One of the things you should learn is knowing the signs that your dog is probably hearing something from a mile away.
You can be sure that your dog’s hearing is on hyperdrive depending on the way their ears move or perk up. Dogs may have different reactions to different sounds, but you will always see their ears twitching in certain directions when they are listening, when they are curious, when they are familiar with what they hear, or when they hear something they are not comfortable with. They use their ears to learn new things and to adapt to the environment.
You can also watch their body language and see what they are reacting to. Most dogs will jump, run and bark. They will do everything to alert their owner that something or someone unfamiliar is nearby. You may also notice dogs running towards their owners if they feel fear towards what they are hearing.
Some dogs are a bit receptive to sounds. You’ll notice their ears twitch from time to time while raising their head towards a certain direction but will decide to ignore whatever they heard and go back to their relaxed state.
As a fur parent, you can train your dog to hear better but introducing new things and praising them for good deeds. They are naturally born smart with a strong instinct to protect their owners. Aren’t they truly lovely?
