Shih Tzu like most dogs may have anxiety or fear of loud noises. Providing them with dog ear plugs, muffs, or hoodies can help keep them calm.
Dogs have great hearing that is much more sensitive than ours, especially at higher frequencies as they can hear almost double the high frequency than we can.
Our male Shih Tzu Tanner has always been relaxed and easy-going, and noises or storms didn’t bother him much.
Until 2 years ago, on July 1st the neighbors decided to set off some fireworks on the street directly in front of our house.
Those loud pops and bangs and whizzing and flashes coming from so close were devastating to our Shih Tzu, and he has been sensitive to loud noises ever since.
We enjoy watching action movies, and we enjoy listening to our 7.1 surround sound speaker system. Needless to say, we now need to keep the volume down during loud explosions or gunfight scenes.
We even tried Bluetooth headphones for ourselves to keep the room quiet for our Shih Tzu buddies.
But wait, how about some dog earplugs or hearing protection for our Shih Tzus. Now that’s worth looking into.
How does hearing protection for a dog work?
By covering the dog’s ears we can reduce the volume of the sound that the dog hears. This is beneficial when there are very loud sounds such as thunder or fireworks.
The reduced noise level will help your dog feel more comfortable and less anxious about loud noises.
The best options are ear muffs, and hoodies that cover the ears.
From our research, we have learned that it is best to use over-the-ear hearing protection or dog hearing protection that fits on the outside of the ear.
If considering dog earplugs that fit into the ear, understand the risks of inserting any object or earplug into the dog’s ears. There is a risk of damaging the dog’s eardrums or ear canal. Or the object could become lodged in the dog’s ear.
However, there is one product that fits in the ear that you might consider. CrittEar is a dog earplug that is advertised as good for a dog who has anxieties. This is newer and made of medical-grade memory foam, so should be safe to use. I like that these are not bulky and should be fairly comfortable for the dog.
I would suggest further reading on the brand’s website to ensure that these are right for your dog if you are considering them.
How can I protect my dogs hearing
There are noises that are loud enough to cause possible harm or hearing damage to your pet. And there are loud noises that cause anxiety in your pet.
Fireworks, loud speakers, subwoofers, thunderstorms, fireworks, and loud traffic. These all can cause anxiety in your pet, which is a good reason to consider dog earplugs or other hearing protection
The noise reduction can help your pet stay calm during the noise event and may help them overcome their anxieties.
Can you put Ear Plugs in Dogs Ears
Be careful to avoid inserting ear protection into a dog’s ears as there is a risk of damage to the ear canal or eardrum. And it is possible that the object could become lodged or stuck in your pet’s ear.
CrittEar is a newer entry in the dog earplug market. They tout their product as a good choice for a dog who has anxieties. It is newer and made of medical-grade memory foam. I like that these are not bulky and should be fairly comfortable for the dog.
How do I protect my dogs’ ears from loud noises?
There are several ways to protect your dog from loud noises.
The first is avoidance. Avoid taking your dog to the park where there may be loud noises or fireworks. During a storm or loud event at home, allow them to access a quieter area of the home. And turn down the volume on that surround sound or stereo (yes, that’s a tough one to do).
If noise can’t be avoided, then providing hearing protection for your dog is another option.
Ear Protection for Small Dogs
Since we are focused on dog ear plugs for our Shih Tzus, we want the best ear protection for small dogs.
There aren’t any types made especially for just small dogs. Instead, you will find that hearing protection devices for dogs are available in sizes from extra small through to the larger breeds.
Anti Anxiety Dog Ear Muffs
Ear muffs can be used during anxiety-inducing periods such as during vacuuming the house or mowing the lawn. By reducing the volume of the sound, your dog will remain more relaxed. An ear muff worth buying for your pet is the Mutt muffs brand. Look it up on Amazon to see if it is something that can help your dog.
The Happy Hoodie is one of the best products available to provide hearing protection and help reduce anxiety and provide a calming effect for your dog. These are available on Amazon for quite reasonable prices.
Actually, these were originally created to help reduce the noise from using a blow dryer when grooming a dog.
And as mentioned above, CrittEar dog earplug is advertised as good for a dog who has anxieties.
DIY Dog Hearing Protection
There are some DIY options for dog hearing protection. One is using cotton balls for a short period of time. Be sure to remove them after the noisy event is over.
Another is to use a children’s or baby’s headphones and use a bandana to hold them in place. Possibly use some old socks under a bandana as well for a temporary noise reducer.
Conclusion
Our best option is to protect our pets from loud anxiety-inducing or hearing damaging sounds by shielding them from these sounds. However that isn’t always possible, and it’s good to know there are hearing protection muffs and hoodies that can soften the sounds.
Please click on any of the items that interest you. I know our Shih Tzu’s are worth it. I’m sure yours are too