Dogs

[soloist]

how badly does a gunshot damage a dog hearing over time? I have been wondering this for quite some time. I know you cant just ask a dog how his hearing is but someone must have done a study. this should open up a whole barrel of worms. cat wait to hear about it.

[Busterbrown]

Purebred registered dogs are deaf after one shot but crossbreds hear better the more they are exposed to gunfire

[Marc]

Nothing like trying to teach a purebred deaf dog to work on the whistle.:p

The goal is to have your dog trained to stay at the heel if it's a retriever until the birds are shot. If it's a pointer or flushing dog you make sure that the bird has moved away far enough from the dog not to do any ear damage. ie: don't shoot over the dogs head. It only takes one stray pellet to kill him and I don't care what choke you have in a gun not all pellets fly straight out of the barrel, why take the risk of injuring or maybe killing your dog for a bird?

[Jimbo]

A dog that is shot over a lot will develop some hearing loss. You gotta teach hand signals early.

[soloist]

seriously? they go deaf after one shot eh? but mutts dont do you know why? so these high end retrievers do they go deaf after one shot? isn't it kind of immoral to deafen your dog for the sake of a bird?

[kinderdoggin]

Purebred registered dogs are deaf after one shot but crossbreds hear better the more they are exposed to gunfire

unless they've been line-bred to be immune to hearing damage, of course ;)

[Jimbo]

kinderdoggin,does every breeder of purebred labs guarantee hearing, along with eyes, hips, etc., etc., ... ??

[bopper]

Any living thing with the ability to hear has the potential to experience hearing loss. This goes for dogs, of course. The cause for hearing loss in dogs is similar to that in humans. Dogs can be born deaf, or develop hearing loss later in life.
While a healthy Lab can begin to hear sounds at about 10 or 15 decibels, just like a human, one test animal that had been exposed to gunshots developed hearing loss at about 60 decibels, which is quite loud. (Similar to a jet engine). Common sense dictates that you don't shoot in close proximity to your dog.

[Dukeoflawnchair]

kinderdoggin,does every breeder of purebred labs guarantee hearing, along with eyes, hips, etc., etc., ... ??

Being a breeder of purebred dogs doesn't guarantee anything...being a good breeder catering to this "market" might. Many a puppy mill will pump out purebred labs without any consideration to genetic lineage, etc...You as the buyer must do the research and see the paperwork.

Non-guaranteed dogs can still be wonderful family members, great companions, etc...my last rescue was that, but was definitely stiff and limping in the hips by the end of her time.

[kinderdoggin]

kinderdoggin,does every breeder of purebred labs guarantee hearing, along with eyes, hips, etc., etc., ... ??

Guess my sarcasm was lost there :lol:

To be serious, I don't think there is any way any breeder could possibly guarantee that you (the hypothetical puppy buyer) won't damage your dog's hearing.

I've heard of people getting hearing protection for their dogs that travel on those loud fan-propelled swamp boats - but I have yet to actually see a dog with ear muffs.

[soloist]

so how away from the muzzle should your dog actually be? And if you find a picture of a dog wearing ear muffs will you please send it to me.

[husky30-06]

:-P:-P:-P:-Pso how many of you actually went to google and looked up dogs with ear muffs????????? I'm gonna!!!!!!!!:smile:

[husky30-06]

:eek: found them, I will try to post them. Boy the one dog looks not impressed but the other looks like he has some issues "upstairs":mrgreen:

[husky30-06]

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT!!!!!!!:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp87/swiftwatertech/dogswearingearmuffs2.jpg
http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp87/swiftwatertech/dogwearingearmuffs.jpg