Hear No Evil

By Lisa Dubé Forman

‘Hear no evil’ is one principle of an ancient proverb. Our canine friends believe they hear nothing but good things from us mostly due to their unwavering dedication and unconditional love for us. Naturally, we are truly fortunate to have such extraordinary carnivores as our closest allies and guardians. As part of their services, their ears perform one of the most important deeds as they hear at higher frequencies than humans. The frequency range of dog hearing is approximately 40 Hz to 60,000 Hz as compared to humans which is 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, with Hz being the symbol for Hertz, a unit of frequency. Because of this, their alertness has been extremely useful safeguarding us over the millennia.

Save for cropped breeds, most fanciers don’t pay too much attention to their dog’s ears, regarding them as obvious features to have but inessential in the overall genesis of a very good dog. Though this may reflect a modicum of reality for a number of breeds, for instance a few sighthounds, where some repeat the phrase parrot-fashion “he does not run on his ears,” indeed there are breeds who contradict this accepted tenet.

There are approximately 36 assorted ear types from our breed blueprints. Due to limitations in space I will not list them, but summarize their shapes such as drop, pendulous and pendant; erect and pricked; or semi-drop, semi-pricked. On occasion we see judges have a more forgiving attitude towards the not perfect but somewhat flawed ear type on a specimen. I do not disagree with this compromise providing that this does not occur in breeds where the set-on or shape is important to the breed’s function or essence. We must always keep in mind that ear mobility and shape are factors in how well a dog can hear. An ideal illustration is the Ibizan Hound whose rhomboid ears are highly mobile and at times point forward, sideways, or backwards according to mood or if hunting.

The placement of the ear lobe or junction to the head is called the set-on or ear set. The shape, leather, carriage and size of ear lobes vary according to breeds, but ears are all the same in composition. The set-on can have an influence on performance, to illustrate, low set ears on a retriever breed may take on water while the dog is swimming to retrieve game. Waterlogged ears are much more prone to infections and are dysfunctional.

A number of breeds, such as the Bloodhound and Basset scenthounds, have uniquely shaped ears vital to their ability and competence. Their ears are tools, not only for hearing but are integral parts of the greater apparatus, the head. Heads with loose, pliable, thin skin with deep folds around the face, dewlap and neck to aid in capturing, holding scent. The length of the ear, even the leather is crafted to cup the scent, while framing his head as it is lowered to the ground when he is canvassing, constantly puzzling out a line.

Other sorts of ears are considered highlights exerting great influence on essence. Ear carriage on Whippets and Greyhounds, with distinctive rosed ears folded tightly back against the neck are contributive to expression. Another excellent illustration is the Papillon, with beautiful, butterfly like ears, either erect or drop, large with rounded tips, and set on the sides and toward the back of the head. The erect type are carried obliquely and move like the spread wings of a butterfly which is a breed trademark though it is acceptable for the drop variety, completely drooping ear called Phalene, to be shown. There are sundry AKC recognized breeds who are considered ‘head breeds’ with ear lobe attachment, shape and even mobility influential in their expressions. This includes the Great Dane whose head description is 26 percent of the breed standard or the Neapolitan Mastiff whose head is exceptionally distinctive segregating him from the other Mastiff varieties.

Interestingly, Canidae, which are carnivorous mammals that includes dogs, wolves, jackals and foxes, originally all had prick ears. Due to man’s intervention of selective mating and hybridization, dogs and later domestic foxes, ears dropped. Chapter One, On the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin states “Not one of our domestic animals can be named which has not in some country drooping ears; and the view which has been suggested that the drooping is due to disuse of the muscles of the ear, from the animals being seldom much alarmed, seems probable”. This a feature not found in any wild animal except the elephant, states scientist and author Lyudmila N. Trut, Early Canid Domestication,The Farm-Fox Experiment. Essentially, foxes ears became floppy when breeding for tamability and in the process the researchers observed striking changes in physiology, morphology and behavior which mirrors the changes known in other domestic animals. Consequently, mankind’s intervention has again proven to be exacting and influential with Trut summarizing, “Patterns of changes observed in domesticated animals resulted from genetic changes that occurred in the course of selection.”

One message of the proverb “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil, do no evil” is associated with good mind, speech and action. Another gist of the proverb is ‘turning a blind eye’ — so very à propos when discussing purebred dog conformation events.

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