Dog hearing damage... unavoidable?

mtbore

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Hearing protection is a smart bit of progress for human hunters and we're only starting to take it seriously in recent years. We love our dogs, so does it follow that their hearing health could/should be given more attention?

Okay, maybe this is crazy talk and not "possible" for dogs doing this type of activity. I'm not a gundogger, just a gun lover and dog lover so I'm just wondering...
 
I doubt there is anything you can do to get a dog to wear hearing protection... And I don't think that any such product exists or is practical...

So, I think it is unavoidable.

Cheers
Jay
 
They do exist, and if you do a lot of shooting with your dog, probably should be used whenever possible/suitable.

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/hunting/columns/story?columnist=stewart_mike&page=sd_col_Stewart_hearing_protection

http://www.safeandsoundpets.com/catalog/item/2822027/2311479.htm

http://www.petexpertise.com/dog-safety/mutt-muffs-hearing-protection-for-dogs.html

Edit - I can't figure out why the board is putting the space in the word "hearing" in the first link - remove it and the link will work when copied/pasted.
 
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Thanks 4 the links splines! I still don't think the use of hearing protection for hunting dogs (while hunting) is practical. The advice offered in the first link would help avoid hearing loss, and if your a pilot and fly with your dog in a noisy aircraft, then the dog muffs might be workable... (Although I think I would need the help of the Dog Whisperer to get my pointer to wear then, velcro or no velcro... ha ha ha)

Cheers
Jay
 
The other issue to consider with a gun dog, is that they would have to remove the hearing protection before making a retrieve etc as they must be able to hear your commands/whistle etc.

Also a dog, usually is much further from the muzzle than we are so they don't get as much muzzle blast. A layout blind may be an exception as sometime the dog is directly under the muzzle.
 
People that fly regularly with dogs in small aircraft are also beginning to realize the need for hearing protection and there are special ear muffs for this application as well.
 
I wouldn't take my dog to a shooting range but I wouldn't sweat over hunting gunfire. Some of the waterfowling guides must expose their retrievers to a lot of gun shots. Any detriment to those dogs?
 
Not a chance my dog could be made to wear anything, let alone something covering her eyes or ears.

I don't consider muzzle blasts a problem in the field, as I hunt only uplands with my dog and she's very seldom down range when I shoot (if she is, I'm usually too afraid to hit her by accident, so I avoid the shot altogether).

In the field, muzzle blasts dissipate quickly in all directions, sound is absorbed by trees, and hearing damage is minimal (I don't wear hearing protection myself when hunting - never seen a need for it).

If at the range, perhaps gun training the dog, I would keep her well back from the firing line, where the report is still loud, but not to the point of damaging her hearing.

In a duck blind or constantly shooting over the dog is another matter and one for which I have no viable solution at present. I don't do these things but, if you do, you may have an issue.

A much greater risk to your dog's hearing IMHO, and one that gets far too little attention by some, are ear infections. Far more canine hearing loss is a result of ear infections than all other causes combined (my opinion, not backed up with peer reviewed data). Any dog that hunts is at risk. In the uplands, dogs get bits of plant matter and grass seeds in their ears. This organic debris starts to rot when it settles in the warm, moist environment inside your dog's ears. Retrievers of migratory birds get less vegetation in their ears, but they get small amounts of putrid swamp water in their ears. This also starts to ferment in their ears and leads to deafness.

You can get the ear spray at any pet shop, no vet's prescription needed. Your dog's ears should be treated regularly and even more often during hunting season. Use your nose as your guide. If your dog's ears smell anything other than neutral, they need to be treated. No need to get carried away, once a month should be in the right range for most city dogs - once every 3 or 4 days during hunting season.

If your dog is a farm dog, rides in the back or your truck, or is generally an outside dog, you'll need to increase the frequency of routine treatments outside of hunting season - every 2 weeks, for example. Don't get carried away. More is not better. 5 - 10 drops in each ear for each treatment is sufficient. The main ingredient in the spray is alcohol (comes in a squeeze bottle, not actually a spray). What you're trying to do is to kill bacteria that is cultivating in the outer ear near the base of the ear canal. Using too much spray has the potential of creating the moist environment that causes the problem in the first place.

If you're concerned about your dog's hearing, I'd make this a bigger concern than loud noises in the field (again, assuming you're not constantly shooting over the dog).
 
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