Oh, the thrill of the hunt! There is nothing quite like being in the wide-open outdoors with just your hunting dog and your guns. First, there’s the quiet of early mornings waiting for the prey animals to arrive. The dogs jump into action helping you every step of them way. Then, bam! The perfect shot! The prey is yours, but did the shotgun blast hurt dogs ears? Let’s explore that very real possibility.
Dogs Are Our Best Friends and Hunting Partners
Did you know that scientists think that one of the reasons dogs were domesticated was to help humans hunt (source)? Scientists debate exactly when it started – anywhere from 20,000 to 40,000 years ago! Scientists have discussed that dogs may have even been the difference between the flourishing of humans versus the decline of Neanderthals (apparently Neanderthals had not domesticated dogs).
It can be hard to say exactly what hunting dogs did thousands of years ago, but they still hold a few different jobs today. Hunting dogs can act as an extension of the hunter. They use their powerful ears, noses, and reflexes to help find prey, keep the prey in prey in place for a hunter, and retrieve prey once it has been shot.
It can take years for hunting dogs to be trained to perfectly do their jobs. This makes it necessary to make sure that the gunshots don’t hurt dogs ears. Hunting dogs need to be able to do their jobs for years to come!
How Can Hunting Hurt Dogs Ears?
Dogs can do amazing things that humans just can’t. When it comes to hearing, they are able to hear pitches of 47,000-65,000 Hz (very high pitched sounds) whereas average adult humans can only hear pitches of 20,000 Hz. They can also hear volumes as low as -15 dB when humans can only hear them as low as 0 dB. A dog’s hearing is geared towards being able to hear small prey running and hiding in the woods. Human hearing is geared more towards communication with other humans.
Louder sounds, like gunshots, can hurt dogs ears. Any sound over 85 dB is likely to do more than just hurt dogs ears, it can do damage to their hearing (source). Gunshots are often 140 dB or more!
How Your Hunting Dog Can Keep Their Hearing
Even with our less powerful hearing, no human hunter would be caught hunting without proper hearing protection. Afterall, gunshots are loud enough to hurt human hearing too. Why not provide hearing protection for your dog as well? With a noise reduction rating of 31 dB, CrittEar Calm dog earplugs are a simple way to help reduce the level of sound entering your dog’s ears. Sounds that hurt dogs ears can be quieted to a more tolerable level using dog earplugs.
New Product Alert: Even Better Hunting With Your Dog
We heard you, hunters! In August of 2022, we will be releasing a new line of dog earplugs called CrittEar Hunt. These dog earplugs will be made of both patented, medical-grade memory foam and silicone to bring your dog the best hearing protection possible. Hunt will help to block out loud sounds like gunshots that hurt dogs ears, while also amplifying low sounds that dogs need to hear to help you hunt. We want the best possible hunting experience for both you and your hunting dog. Protect those sensitive dog ears and have a great time spending time together out there!
