When we think about hearing protection, we often focus on people, from construction workers, to musicians, to city dwellers. But there’s another population at risk for hearing damage that often goes overlooked: dogs.

In particular, working dogs like those used for hunting, law enforcement, search and rescue, and military purposes, routinely encounter environments that are just as noisy, if not louder, than what their human partners experience. And unlike humans, dogs can’t tell us when something doesn’t sound right.

How Important Is Hearing to a Dog?

A dog’s world is built on scent and sound. Hearing is essential for how they interpret their environment, detect movement, communicate, and respond to commands. Dogs can hear sounds at frequencies up to 45,000 Hz—far beyond the human range of 20,000 Hz. They can also detect much quieter sounds than we can. 

But with that extraordinary sensitivity comes greater vulnerability. Because of dogs’ sensitive hearing, they can’t safely tolerate loud noises as well as humans. Some experts say any noise above 55 dB may be too loud for dogs. 

Dogs in the Line of Fire: The Risks for Hunting Dogs

While working dogs in general face increased noise risks on the job, here we highlight hunting dogs. Hunting dogs are often exposed to impulse noises, meaning short bursts of extremely loud sound, like the blast of a shotgun. The average shotgun blast registers around 150–170 decibels (dB), well above the threshold known to cause permanent hearing damage in both humans and animals. For perspective, humans may experience hearing damage when exposed to sounds over 85 dB, and they may experience physical pain at 120–130 dB.

Hunting dogs not only stand close to the source of these blasts, but they may be exposed to dozens or even hundreds of gunshots over a hunting season. Over time, this can lead to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), just like it does in humans.

Signs of hearing loss in dogs can include:

• Not responding to voice commands

• Sleeping through loud noises

• Confusion or anxiety in familiar situations

• Excessive barking (sometimes to compensate for lack of auditory feedback)

Unfortunately, these signs are easy to miss or even misinterpret as behavioral issues or signs of aging.

What About Hearing Protection for Dogs?

While hearing protection for humans is commonplace, effective hearing protection for dogs is still a relatively new and evolving field. Existing options consist of ear muff-like devices designed to reduce noise exposure during flights or loud events. However, these tools are far from perfect. Many dogs resist wearing them, and there’s limited research on how much noise attenuation they actually provide. There’s also no standardized rating system like the noise reduction rating (NRR) for human earplugs for canine hearing protection. Further, because of the variability in head shapes, ear shapes, and sizes among dogs, it is difficult to design sufficient hearing protection for a consumer market.

What Can Hunters and Dog Owners Do?

Until better protective gear becomes widely available, prevention and awareness are key:

Limit Exposure to Loud Sounds: Avoid excessive or unnecessary firing near your dog. Use training ammunition or suppressors when possible.

Train Commands with Visual Cues: Training dogs to respond to hand signals can help mitigate the effects of hearing loss later in life.

Pay Attention to Changes in Behavior: Sudden unresponsiveness, changes in personality, or poor performance in the field may indicate hearing trouble.

Advocate for Research and Better Gear: Demand for better hearing protection drives innovation. Veterinarians, gear manufacturers, and hunting groups can all play a role in pushing this forward.

Schedule Regular Vet Checkups: Ask your vet about your dog’s hearing, especially if they’re regularly exposed to loud noise. Some veterinary clinics now offer BAER (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) testing to evaluate hearing function.

Dogs are loyal, intelligent, and hardworking companions. But while we outfit them with GPS collars, vests, and specialized training, their hearing often goes unprotected. By bringing more attention to canine hearing health, we can improve quality of life for working dogs and help them continue to do what they love without sacrificing their ability to hear the world around them. 

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