That’s really a very picky question that may strike your mind. Dogs do have different ear shapes and you should know each of them has its unique own features. Some dogs have floppy ears while some have straight, again some have round ones, but what’s the reason behind that? If there is a specific feature then what is it? Yeah! you will get all your answers and today we will talk about all these things here.
There is four kind of ear shapes found in dogs and each one of them has some interesting features. Don’t think that they are just a shape to look good, there is something hidden and you know that dogs are great in hearing power. So that’s a very interesting thing we are going to discuss and something more serious than you are really thinking.
Why do Dogs have Different Ear Shapes
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Rose Ears
Rose ears are the one that you will find upright falling towards the side. They have a distinctive flower like appearance and that’s the reason got the name rose ears. Normally these rose ears are found in the greyhound, bulldogs, pit bulls, pugs, and whippets. But till now it was something easy to know about. Actually, the reason behind such an ear shape is complicated than all the other ear shapes. We already said that this ear shape is found in different dog breeds and the feature of each dog breed is different. In greyhound and other similar breeds, this kind of ear shape was given just so they can run faster. While the bull terriers and other similar breeds got the rose ears just for fighting purposes. Actually, rise ears are difficult to bite during any fight. That’s really interesting.
Drop Ears
Drop ears which are also known as floppy ears which are found in many common breeds like Labrador retriever, hounds, and Vizslas. But why do these breeds have floppy ears? The main reason is that the breeds with drop ears were originally bred to hunt through smell rather than sound. As the outer ear drops down it covers the inner part of the ear and blocks out the excessive sound allowing the dogs to focus only on smell. It’s an outstanding idea to block out all the unnecessary noises around them.
Prick Ears
Prick ear is mainly seen in the dog breeds that resemble a strong relation with their wolf ancestors. This kind of ear stands straight up in the air. Try to name the breeds. Yeah, the Siberian huskies, Samoyeds, west highland white terrier etc. Interestingly, these breeds have a great gearing power and this ear was intentionally done to gear up the hearing power. These ears don’t block any sound and so they are strongest in terms of hearing. The dogs with this kind of ear, move their ear in different situations to hear something specific.
Button Ears
So only one kind of ear left and that is the button ears. It starts growing upwards and then folds towards the front side. They are also called as semi-erect ears. Do you know the breed jack Russell? Yes, this one is probably the most common example of button ears. There are also other breeds such as fox terrier. But once you know the reason behind making such an ear, you will just get amazed. These kinds of ear were bred to help the breeds crawl through the tunnel during hunting. Even the tips fold up to protect the foreign particles get inside the inner ear. They can’t hear like prick ear breeds but have a small string difference.
So each of these ears has different unique qualities, the moving techniques are different and the folding techniques are also different. We wish that now you don’t have the question why do dogs have different ear shapes. Just think lightly, those ears are there for a reason so leave them with what they are. It is natural and they are used to that. Remember, your dog is beautiful with its own unique appearance. Love your animals and care for them. Dogs are great companions, so join hands with them for a greater future.
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