Weekly Wednesday #8 Dog ears, exceptional and expressive -Take care of them.

Dog ears, exceptional and expressive -Take care of them.

Do you remember the cartoon character droopy? When we hear that name, a hound or a spaniel automatically comes to mind. Your dog's ears are part of their personality the shape is based on the breed. I read a very cool article from The Whole Dog Journal written by Rand Kidd, DVM, PhD, that inspired today's PCPTT. How your dog feels about the world physically and emotionally can be recognized by the ear "posture", it is a curiously funny and sometimes mischievous language of its own. I absolutely love the way this article reads: " by observing the carriage of the dogs ear we are given away to "hear" what he is trying to tell us. Is that not amazing?! Humans, hearing with your eyes.... It is possible, just ask the Deaf Culture! (American Sign Language should be a recommended course, just saying!) Dog owners know well that the ears are an adorable form of expression and like human ears, they play a part in balance. Internally and externally dog ears are super complicated. The canine ear canal is much longer than ours and it is a sensitive area, most dogs with ear infections must be sedated for a thorough examination. I think we all know that dogs are capable of hearing higher pitches; according to this article, dogs here best at 8000 Hz in comparison to humans best 2000 Hz. Did you know that a hesitation to obey your command can be the FIRST sign of hearing loss? Be sure to visit your vet regularly and take care of your little buddy. Hearing loss will happen as they age, but we can slow down the process by paying attention to their nutrition, activity and overall health. I also favor this article because it lists several things we can do in home to keep their hearing healthy. I encourage you to check out the article, examine your dog often, and visit your vet. Happy training! #DOGS #trainandplay #rescue #adopt #foster #DOGgonefun #supportyourlocalshelter #volunteer #dogtrainer #AmericanSignLanguage #ASL #deafculture #takecareofyourdogs #supportanimalrescue #petchat #PETCHARMER