For most dogs, hearing their name called will send them running to you for a tasty treat. Their highly developed hearing allows them to pick up a much wider range of sounds than the human ear! But what happens when a dog loses their hearing or is born without the ability to hear?
Types of Deafness in Dogs
Like us, our dogs can be born deaf. They can also experience hearing loss over the years as a side effect of aging and from repeated exposure to loud noises.
Congenital Deafness is when a dog is born deaf or becomes deaf due to genetic inheritance, and Acquired Deafness is when a dog is born with normal hearing but loses it later in life due to outside factors.
Causes for Congenital Deafness
Congenital Deafness is the most common cause of deafness in dogs. There are typically two main reasons for congenital deafness:
- Birth Defects — If a puppy’s ear or nervous system doesn’t develop fully or correctly, it can cause deafness at birth.
- Genetics — Congenital deafness is often hereditary, meaning genetically passed down from parent dog to puppy.
- In many cases of congenital deafness, deafness is related to a dog’s pigment. Many dogs who are born affected by congenital deafness have an all-white or mostly white coat.
- Some cases of inherited deafness can present at a young age instead of at birth. For example, Early Onset Adult Deafness, or EOAD, often presents between 4 and 24 months of age.
Causes for Acquired Deafness
Acquired Deafness can be caused due to various environmental and health factors. Some of the main causes include:
- Age - Most common in senior dogs, age-related hearing loss is a progressive condition that often begins in the high-frequency range and can gradually affect the entire range of hearing.
- Noise Exposure - Cumulative exposure to loud noises such as gunshots, planes and helicopters, heavy machinery, and even music and fireworks can negatively impact your dog’s ability to hear.
- Occasionally, singular, extremely loud noises like gunfire or explosions can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss.
- Injury/Trauma - Physical injury or trauma to the brain, ear drum, and ear canals can result in hearing loss.
- Infection/Inflammation - Ear infections, inflammation, or a build up of earwax can cause a build up of debris in the ear canal and make hearing difficult. With the right treatment by your dog’s vet, this can typically be reversed.
How Can I Tell if My Dog is Deaf or Has Hearing Loss?
If you suspect your dog has hearing loss, we recommend that you consult your veterinarian. While you wait for your appointment, it can be helpful to see what noises your dog does, or does not, respond to. Without giving visual cues (not showing the dog where the source of noise is coming from), you can try doing things like squeaking their toys, shaking a treat bag, jingling keys, and calling their name or clapping when they are not looking directly at you. These at-home tests won’t diagnose your dog with hearing loss, but can help gather important information to provide at your vet appointment.
Preventing Hearing Loss
While it can be difficult to prevent congenital/hereditary hearing loss, there are steps we can take to reduce the occurrences of acquired hearing loss, especially due to noise exposure.
In situations where your dog will be around loud noises, utilizing ear protection like the Rex Specs Ear Pro is the best way to minimize the impact those noises have on your dog’s hearing. The Ear Pro has undergone real ear testing with the best practices used by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and has been found to attenuate, or reduce, noise exposure between 18 dBA and 24 dBA (decibels).
Find out more about Why Your Dog Needs Hearing Protection
Meet Deaf Dogs in the Rex Specs Community
Bonnie - Australian Cattle DogBonnie, a 7 year old Australian Cattle Dog, was born deaf. In 2020, her owner, Tim, packed up the car and traveled from Nevada to New Mexico to meet her for the first time. Their connection was instant, and Bonnie was part of the pack! She has two cattle dog siblings, Bella and Bolt.
There were just minor adjustments when Bonnie came home, like remembering to wake her up with a slight touch before leaving a room, because she would wake up and panic if she didn't know her owner had left. Tim has taught his hearing dogs "go wake Bonnie up" and they will go wake her with a light nose bump!
Fun Fact: Bonnie was not only born deaf but also with a broken tail, it had a 90 degree bend about halfway down. Her tail was causing her issues when she was younger so it was amputated at the break. She now only has about half her tail left but she wags her nub at 100mph whenever she is excited!
Follow Bonnie’s adventures: @beautiesandthebolt
Sunny and Gandalf - Mixed Breeds
Due to having 2 copies of the merle gene and being genetically double merle, 1 and ½ year old bedlington terrier/whippet mix siblings Sunny and Gandalf were both born deaf. Because of this, Gandalf is also blind.
Knowing they had disabilities but excited to give them the life they deserved, their owner, Gemma, adopted them from Blind Dog Rescue UK when they were 4 months old.
Communication is key for Sunny and Gandalf! Gemma and family use visual cues for Sunny, making sure to be more expressive and to help her understand what they are asking. Sunny also knows some sign language! For Gandalf, touch cues are most important. Both pups have adjusted well to their deafness, and Gemma says that having no issue with postmen, other dogs barking or loud noises like fireworks helps make things easier than having dogs that can hear!
When out exploring, Sunny and Gandalf love to run around off leash in secured fields. Sunny's retinas are not fully formed so she has sensitivity to bright light; she rocks Rex Specs to help on sunny days!
Fun Fact: Sunny's favorite activity is to play with her brother and steal his toys. Gandalf loves a nap, he would be on the sofa all day if could!
Follow their adventures: @gandalf_and_sunny
Aston - Mixed Breed
3 and ½ year old mixed breed, Aston, was born deaf and blind - but that didn’t stop his owner Miriam from knowing that they were a perfect match. After 3 months of fostering Aston as a puppy, Miriam formally adopted him.
Aston was born deaf and blind due to being double merle, an inherited issue that can be caused when both parents carry the merle gene. Being deafblind means Aston is more in tune with his other senses, particularly smell and touch. Miriam trains him using touch cues instead of verbal cues, and has even taught him to communicate using textured buttons! While Aston can’t hear what words his buttons say, Miriam and other hearing individuals can - helping him associate the specific location, texture, and smell of each button with a certain action or individual.
Running laps and playing tug in the backyard with his brother, Dax, going on walks around the neighborhood to take in all of the smells, and putting his brain and nose to work at meal time are some of Aston’s favorite things!
Miriam says that being Aston’s owner has helped her learn about dog body language, incorporate consent and cooperative care into her dogs’ lives, discover the importance of enrichment, and encourages her to learn about and observe her environment in new ways.
Fun Fact: Aston and Miriam love trick training! They competed in the 2023 International Trick Dog Competition, taking 1st place in the category for disabled and rescue dogs, and fifth place overall! Aston has also earned 6 trick titles.
Follow Aston's journey: @atouchofaston
Less Hearing, Same Great Adventure Partner
Whether your dog is born deaf or develops hearing loss later in life, they’ll still be weekend warriors and epic adventure buddies. Understanding the causes and types of deafness, being mindful of their hearing environment, and using protective gear to prevent further damage, can help you provide them with the best support at home and on the trails!