What makes a better day than some great tunes and your dog at your side? It is something you can do no matter the weather! Rocking out with your dog might seem like a great idea, but is it? Could dogs ears hurt when the music gets loud? Let’s explore this idea and find out what you can do for your dog to help them to enjoy your perfect day with you.
What Sounds Do Dogs Prefer to Hear?
Human hearing is geared toward communication with other humans. We work together as a species to ensure our future, so interspecies communication is very important. As it turns out the range of our speech and the range of our hearing match up very well.
Dog’s ears are unique and different. They are not geared towards communicating with other dogs as much as they are towards being able to find small prey on the hunt. Think about the sound that a rodent makes as it runs and hides in the bushes in the woods. While an average adult human can only hear sounds with pitches up to 20,000 Hz, dogs can hear sounds that are 47,000-65,000 Hz (source)!Dogs like to hear sounds that are quieter and higher pitched than what humans like to hear.
What ranges can make dogs ears hurt? Since their ears are so sensitive, loud, percussive sounds can make dogs ears hurt. Anything over 85 dB is known to cause damage to a dog’s hearing.
Music Can Make Dogs Ears Hurt
Some people enjoy soft, gentle music, but many want their music loud! Have you ever had your smartphone or tablet tell you that sound above a certain level will harm your hearing? Still, you crank it up anyway? Those sounds are even harder on your dog’s ears and can make dogs ears hurt.
Why not take your dog to concerts with you? Service dogs, who must remain attentive and focused, must attend these events with the humans that they serve. Even non-service dogs are attending more concerts as they are being held at outdoor venues. According to the University of Michigan, concerts average 120 dB or more (source). They are so loud that many concert venues offer earplugs to human patrons. If a sound is loud enough to make your ears hurt, it is more than loud enough to make dogs ears hurt.
Bonus fact – loud noises, including music, can make pain in your dog’s body worse (source)! Studies have shown that if a dog has chronic pain (such as arthritis), that pain can worsen when loud, percussive noises happen around them. Your bass could be making dogs ears hurt as well as their bodies.
Calming The Noise
Your perfect day – with your tunes and your dog – can still happen. There is a way that you can listen to music and enjoy your dog’s company. Your dog’s ears can be protected the same way yours are when you wear earplugs. When properly inserted, CrittEar Calm dog earplugs can buffer noises down to 31 dB for your dog and protect your dog’s ears from loud sounds. That is about the level of a quiet conversation.
For your convenience, try a CrittEar Calm 3-pack of dog earplugs. Then you have a pair for jammin’ with your dog at home, one for some fun in the car, and a pair for your pocket or purse for rockin’ out anywhere. Your dog can be protected from loud noises anywhere you chose to go!
