How Far can Dogs Hear?

Have you noticed a dog start barking at the door before anyone rings the bell or they it start barking before earth quake? So, you might be curious after seeing how quietly you open a bag of chips and your dog will be right at your feet before you can start eating.

This extraordinary sense of hearing might amaze you and you are curious about How Far Can Dogs Hear? or why they have such good hearing in the first place?

Let’s explore why dogs can hear from a distance but humans can’t. So read till the end so that you can figure out all the reasons behind this. But first of all, let’s discuss

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How a Dog’s Hearing Works?

If we look at the internal ear structure of dogs it’s very similar to humans. In a dog’s ear, three small bones transmit sound waves to the cochlea where electrical signals are created and sent to the brain for interpretation. Additionally, there is an eardrum and Eustachian tube that links the middle ear to the back of the dog’s nose.

The structure is similar but when it comes to hearing both humans and dogs have different needs. Human hearing is mostly for hearing speech but in dogs, it’s for detecting danger. So, they have trained their mind according to that.

How Far Your Dog Can Hear Noise

When it comes to hearing dogs can detect sounds that humans can’t. Mostly dogs can hear sounds between 40 Hz to 60,000 Hz, but in humans, it’s between 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.

The Hearing Spectrum of Dogs

The sound that a dog can hear is divided into three spectrum

Infrasound Detection: Dogs can hear the sound in infrared which has a frequency below 20 Hz. These low-frequency sounds are earthquakes, thunderstorms, and distant vehicles.

Ultrasound Sensitivity: Dogs can also hear ultrasounds, which are high-frequency sounds above 20 KHz. This is mostly used for communication with other dogs and sensing high-pitched noises like dog whistles.

Selective Hearing: Dogs have unique hearing ability with which they can hear specific sounds while filtering out background noise. This helps them to hear various sound distractions.

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Factors Influencing Hearing Range:

The factors influencing a dog’s hearing range

1. Breed

Hearing in dogs varies from breed to breed. Dogs with erect ears, like German Shepherds and Doberman Pinschers, can hear sounds better than floppy ears.

2. Age

Age is also a major factor. Puppies have better hearing than older dogs.

3. Ear Health

The health of a dog’s ears is also a major factor because ear infections or injuries can affect their hearing.

4. Frequency Sensitivity

Dogs can hear different frequencies but some breeds are sensitive to high-pitched sounds, while others can easily detect lower frequencies.

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Which Dog Breeds Can Hear the Best?

Some dog breeds are best known for their excellent hearing abilities

Labrador Retrievers: These dogs have an exceptional sense of hearing and are highly reliable service animals.
Poodles: Despite their floppy ears, poodles have exceptional hearing.
Cocker Spaniels: Due to the large ears these dogs have exceptional hearing abilities.

In short, dogs have exceptional range and can hear sound in various frequencies. Some dog breeds like labradors are too good at hearing while others with floppy ears are not. We have tried to cover every aspect of the topic How Far Can Dogs Hear? and will look for more and add that in the next update. Did you find this article helpful or if you have any questions please do tell us in the comment section below.

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FAQs: How Far Can Dogs Hear?

Still not satisfied? Here are some frequently asked questions

How much farther can a dog hear from a human?

Dogs can hear better than humans. They can hear sounds at different frequencies like ultrasonic and infrasonic sounds and hear four times further away.