Why Are Dog Ears So Soft?
Some of us may be wondering why are dog ears so soft. This is a guide to explain dogs’ ears and how to care for them.
It is interesting to see dogs rotating their ears in the direction of the sound. Their straight and active ears while barking reflect their brave and guarding nature.
Table of Contents
But do you know that Dogs are deaf at the time they were born, quite surprising?
Yes, you read it correctly. Your tiny furball is initially deaf. Dogs develop their hearing sense after one week of birth. Dozens of muscles join together to make dog ears and, as a result, make them highly reactive.
While spending time with your puppy and playing with its ear, you may wonder why dog ears are so soft. Two things together make the dog ears smooth like a cotton ball.
The ear softness is neither dependent on the size of the ear nor the breed of the dog.
Why Are Dog Ears So Soft?
Why are dog’s ears so soft? Firstly, the bone of the ear, there is no hard bone within the ears of dogs, but the cartilage is present. Cartilage is quite soft and flexible that allows dogs to rotate their ears.
Secondly, the presence of fur gives a soft and soothing touch to the dog’s ears. The fur at the ears is some sort of downy, neither long nor short, and hence contributes to the softness of the pup’s ear.
The combination of cartilage along with downy fur serves the dogs with the soft finishing of ears. It is important to mention that dog ears are not just for hearing, their purpose does not end here, but there are some other features.
As mentioned above, dog ears are made up of multiple muscles, making the dog ear different from other species. The L-shaped ear canal of the puppy is quite deep, which gathers and directs all of the sound vibrations toward the eardrum.
In this way, dogs can efficiently hear high and low frequencies. Surprisingly, the audible range of a dog is from 67 to 45 thousand, which is much higher than humans.
That is the reason that dog ears are much softer and more sensitive compared to human ears. The same is the case when dogs can hear silent ultrasonic whistles, which are audible by humans.
Now we know why dogs often react weirdly by making their ears stand up. If you are noticing all of these things in your dog, then be happy it is normal dog behavior.
There are some different types of ears, depending on the breed of your dog. Bat ears, hooded ears, and cocked ears with button and drop ears are the most common types.
V-shaped ears and folded ears are also included in the types of dog ears. No matter what the kind, all of the dog ears are soft compared to the other body parts.
Why is dog ear fur soft?
Dog parents love their puppies no matter what their breed, color, and size. But, dogs with soft skin and especially ears get extra love from their parents.
Most of us keep touching the body fur of dogs and never realize the soft ear fur. You will be amazed to feel the softness of the dog’s ear fur.
Most of the parents state that they have never touched anything softer than the dog’s fur. This softness is the outer structure of the dog, which is made of soft cartilage, a soft and flexible bone.
We can say that cartilage is the major reason for ear and fur softness in dogs. The fur within the ear is so tiny and downy, providing them with a soft touch.
The overall ear structure, along with the fur texture, gives soft and smooth ears to dogs.
Should you play with your dog’s ear or is it painful for them?
Yes, to your question, you can play with your dog’s ear. There is nothing bad in getting touchy with the ears of your puppy until they feel no pain. Even dogs enjoy getting ear massages.
To get this, they lay down and convince their parents to play with their ears because it is quite soothing for them. Not only this, but parents also like to play with the soft boneless ears of their furballs.
Also, rubbing a canine’s ear carries a ton of unwinding to the canine. As we have portrayed, alongside the feeling of smell, the canine’s meeting feeling is also very well.
There are a ton of nerves available in the ears of a dog. People have a ton of nerves in their feet, so when somebody rubs or back rubs our feet, we get a lot of unwinding.
Similarly, when somebody kneads a canine’s ear, it gives a great deal of quiet to the canine. Yet, remember that back rub ought to be delicate.
BUT, playing is never recommended when your puppy is suffering from an infection. In this condition, your dog may react aggressively even when you try to examine ears.
Also, touching the infected ears can cause harmful effects on your skin. That’s why the vet recommends you wear gloves at the time of examination.
Do dogs feel pain in their ears?
Mostly no, dogs do not feel pain in their ears when they are touched. They give you a sudden twitch reaction because it’s just a built-in sensation. Twitch is not just due to the pain; dogs do this unintentionally.
However, there can be a big yes in the question in some pain conditions. In case of infection or parasites in the ear, dogs can feel pain in the ear, especially when touched.
Dogs will not give you any straightforward reaction when they are suffering from some infection. But if there is no pain, then you can freely play with your dog’s ear.
In case of noticing pain evidence, you must consult a vet and know about the causes.
Getting the proper treatment at the right time is essential for the better ear health of your dog.
Caring for dogs ears
During dog grooming sessions, ear cleaning is always the priority. As mentioned above, dogs’ ears are pretty soft, and therefore dogs need special care for their ears.
There can be a wide range of challenges when you are about to clean your dog’s ear. Managing the floppy ears is a tricky task.
The long and narrow ear canal is more prone to get parasites or bacteria, which can result in ear infections.
All of this makes the dog’s ear smell worse and even causes white discharge if it is not treated at the right time. Timely ear grooming with the right equipment makes it easy for the dog parents to complete the grooming process.
The expert highly recommends keeping the dogs’ ears dry, which means that you have to clean them soon after the bathing session. Keep examining and do not let moisturizer stay in the dog’s ear.
It’s recommended to avoid using a sharp tool. Gather suitable dog tools to deal with their soft ears.
