Some dog breeds hear better than others—it all depends on how the ears fall. Dogs with ears that stand up, like a Chihuahua or German Shepherd, can hear a little better than a dog with floppy ears, like a Poodle or Shih Tzu.
German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers are two large breeds that tend to be more sensitive to loud noises. Because we breed dogs with similar physical traits, they often inherit consistent personality traits, too.
Some of the most commonly affected breeds are Dalmatians, Bull Terriers, Australian Cattle Dogs, English Setters, English Cocker Spaniels, Boston Terriers, and Parson Russell Terriers. Congenital deafness has been found in over 80 different breeds, but it may be found in any breed.
German Shepherd
German Shepherds are known as the world's leading police and military dogs. They work tirelessly in Search & Rescue and narcotics detection due to their keen sense of smell.
Cochleosaccular is the most common cause of deafness and is associated with coat color patterns. It is usually seen in dogs with the piebald color genes or merle color gene. It can cause deafness in either one or both ears and is seen more in association with blue eyes and a white coat.
This specialized layer of cells, and the cells that determine hair color, come from the same stem cell source. Without this stem cell, the dog's body won't be able to make this specialized layer of hearing cells and will likely be white in coloration. Dogs that carry the piebald gene are often affected by deafness.
Blue eyes, resulting from an absence of pigment in the iris, is common with pigment-associated deafness but is not, in and of itself, an indication of deafness or the presence of a deafness gene; however, in several breeds (Dalmatian, English Setter, English Cocker Spaniel, Bull Terrier), dogs (and cats) with blue eyes ...
According to Coren, when sounds are between 3,000 and 12,000 Hz in frequency, dogs' ears are far more sensitive than ours. They can hear those sounds when they are between -5 dB and -15 dB on average. That means dogs can hear sounds that are not loud enough for our ears.
Smaller dogs hear a larger range of high-frequency sounds overall and enjoy better hearing over a larger span of their life. It appears that when it comes to auditory function, for dogs, as for other mammals, size matters.
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.
Research indicates that when dogs are stressed, music may help. A landmark study in 2002 compared how shelter dogs responded to classical, pop, and heavy-metal music as well as conversation and silence. Researchers found that classical music had a calming effect on dogs.
However, new evidence suggests that they may prefer a bit of peace and quiet. Dogs get stressed and agitated when left on their own and are separated from their owner, and studies have suggested that classical music, or the radio, may help calm dogs down.
Although those are some of the dog breeds that have the best sense of hearing, all dogs can hear very well—much better than any human can. Regardless of the dog breed they belong to, most dogs can hear sounds anywhere between 80 feet and one mile away.
Not every dog with too much white is deaf, so there are probably additional genetic factors which determine whether the dog is deaf. However, if breeders make efforts not to produce puppies with white on or close around the ears they can significantly reduce the frequency of deafness in the breed.
As your dog loses his hearing, you might find him “ignoring” your cues, such as not sitting when asked or failing to come when you call him. Or he may seem confused by his surroundings or by your requests.
Deaf Dogs Rock because they excel in therapy dog work, emotional support dog work, and service dog assistance because they don't have a fear or anxiety that usually comes with loud noises like hearing dogs do.
Dog Coat Color and Type - Havanese Panel
In most mammals, the switching between these two pigments is controlled by MC1R and Agouti genes. In dogs, original coat color research of pedigrees suggested that a third gene, named Dominant Black (K locus), was involved. This gene produces dominant black vs. brindle vs.
The last word is that blue and yellow are the two colors that dogs are attracted to the most simply because these are the two colors that are easily identified.
Are Dogs Attracted to Specific Colors? Dogs do not see colors as vividly, and so they don't necessarily feel more attracted to a specific color based on color preference. Color doesn't drive their choices more than smell. However, some studies have found that dogs prefer blue because it is easier to see.
Environmental stimuli like light shifts, sounds, smells, and even cues you can't pick up on can play a role in your dog's ability to sense when you're coming home.
For dogs, citrus scents are the enemy. Citrus scents like lemon, lime, oranges, and grapefruit–especially in high concentrations often found in household cleaners or essential oils–can cause irritation to your pup's respiratory tract, so keep any fresh citrus fruits out of your dog's reach. You know–just in case.
German Shepherd
It's no secret that German Shepherds are the number one most popular police working dogs — you're probably more likely to see this dog breed than any other when you come across a working K9 unit. German Shepherds make great police K9 units because they are intelligent, bold, fast and enthusiastic.