As we’ve seen many times, a dog sense of smell is thousands
of times greater than a human’s.
Eyesight is pretty much a tie. We can see more colors, but
like all good hunting animals, they see better in the dark and can detect motion
at great distances.
Their hearing is keener than human hearing, but much depends on breed, genetics and age.
Generally dogs are able to hear higher frequencies than
humans, like a dog whistle which emits sound in the ultrasonic
range. Engines and household appliances such as vacuum cleaners are far more frightening
or annoying to dogs than to us because
of their ability to hear frequencies we can’t.
I'm always puzzled at why some of the dogs in our neighborhood (not mine) howl at ambulance sirens. If it hurts their ears, as some suggest, why would they add to the decibel level and increase their pain?
A better explanation is that the siren sounds like howling and they want to join in. "Hey, I'm here and I'm bored and lonely."
Pointy ear dogs, such
as Chihuahuas,
Huskies, and German Shepherds carry little antennae around on their heads.
Using 18 or more different muscles they can move their ears and cock their
heads toward a sound to get the best reception and figure out where the sound is coming from.
(Chihuahuas
seem to hear everything in their zip codes and are most eager to let everyone know.)
With floppy eared
dogs bred for hunting and tracking, e.g. Poodles, Beagles, and Bassett
hounds, the floppy ears muffle the sounds somewhat so the dog isn’t distracted from
the job at hand by extraneous noises.
We’re all probably amazed at what our dogs can or seem to be
able to hear.
My dogs, and maybe yours, can hear a car drive into
the driveway and know whether it contains a friend or a stranger. They can hear a
package of treats being opened from the other end of the house.
It may be that different engines have frequencies that only
dogs can hear and it may be that their incredible sense of smell is also
involved in what they seem to be hearing.
Since dogs age faster
than humans, depending on genetics a dog of 6-8-years-old may begin to lose hearing. However,
this is also the age when a dog has developed the sophistication and experience
to know what to tune out.
Through the years, the early recall training which once meant
treats and praise may have come to mean stop chasing the
squirrel, bathtime, medicine, or some other mundane activity that is of no interest to the dog. The
older dog may develop selective hearing, something most humans develop at an
early age.
An older dog may not respond to his name, but often they can
hear cheese hit vinyl from several rooms away.
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