How your dog’s ear works

A dog’s hearing is one of his most developed senses, did you know that they can hear four times farther away that we can? Therefore, they know when someone is coming home way before we can even hear the doorbell. Their sound sharpness is truly impressive; they can differentiate nuances in sound, tones of voice and even wake up if they hear a familiar sound.

This hearing ability not only makes them the best guardians, but defines the way they relate to others. Knowing more about this will help us understand them better and improve the way we educate them.

A dog’s ear is formed by three different parts: the outer ear, middle and inner ear. How do they function?

The hearing process is simple. The sound wave generated by any sound is captured and channeled by the outer ear, also known as pinna. The pinna a functional part, formed by 17 muscles, 8 more than those in humans, having different forms depending on each breed.

Once captured, the sound wave travels through the auditory conduct and reaches the eardrum, which is L shaped, ideal for protection. Even though it protects, it doesn’t help eliminate harmful substances like ear wax, which is why keeping the ear clean is important.

When the waves reach the eardrum, making it vibrate, small bones enlarge the waves transforming them into a signal for the brain. The inner ear is also responsible for balance, if it’s not functioning correctly it will make our dog stagger, like it happens when dogs have vertigo.

How to take care of his ears

Our dog’s ears are one of the most delicate parts of their body, and its health depends on how often we clean them. In general, they should be cleaned every three weeks, but it will depend on the type of ear, inheritance and the specific situation. Some dogs are more prone to get infections in their ears than others, in this case you must be more careful.

This type of care must begin when your dog is a puppy, so he will get used to the process and not fight it.

We must try to keep the auditory conduct clean of dirt and hair. When it comes to removing hair it’s better to get a professional’s advice on how to do it, since we don’t want to hurt him by doing it incorrectly.

Following this routine, you will prevent your dog from suffering inflammations and infections, like otitis or others that cause pain, affect their hearing and balance.