Did you know that puppies are born deaf?

At the time of giving birth, puppies are born deaf and with their eyes closed, a characteristic they share with other mammals. The reason is the incomplete development of part of your senses.

Newborn dogs have their closed ear canals. They remain that way until the second or third week of age. Therefore, it is often said that puppies are born deaf, since the complete formation of their auditory sense will be produced progressively.

Once the stipulated period has passed, it will be necessary to verify if the animal has full capacity to listen.

Puppies are born deaf due to an adaptive strategy

As mammals evolved, those reproduction and development strategies that guaranteed greater survival in the environment were selected. Even if This group of animals is characterized by giving birth to live young, the gestation process and the degree of development differs between ones and others.

On the one hand, there are those animals such as cows or other livestock that have a Prolonged pregnancy of up to nine months with complete fetal development. Scientifically they are called precocial species, because they have practically all the basic abilities of an adult individual. Normally, these are animals whose survival is closely related to the ability to flee from possible predators.

On the other, there are mammals that have a Short gestation period, about two months, as is the case with dogs. These, unlike the previous ones are called altriciales for producing immature offspring, dependent on the maternal figure for food and protection.

In this way, many of the fundamental organs of dogs have an incomplete development In the first days of life. The brain, eyes or ears are just a few examples, hence the great delicacy that should be had with the young.

Auditory development of dogs

Although it is said that puppies are born deaf, the truth is that yes they can hear diffuse noises remotely. Therefore, we must bear in mind the importance of relative silence to complete the correct development of this sense.

The presence of constant sounds would involve pressure changes that would move the fragile auditory structures of the offspring, which could alter their formation.

The ear canals of dogs begin to open around the second week of life, more or less even at the opening of the eyes. However, unlike the latter, the ears will present a more complete degree of development by that time.

The definitive formation of the auditory sense is something that can be verified in the domestic environment, because the opening of the channel can be seen with the naked eye. In addition, you can also check the animal’s response to soft sounds.

However, it is true that this practice is usually quite rare, since most dogs are acquired after two or three months of age.

However, those breeders or owners who have a delivery of their dog at home should check the degree of development of the animal’s sensory organs after the stipulated period. If the third week arrives, the dog still does not mature in that aspect, the owners should consult the veterinarian to check for possible anomalies.

When an adult dog loses his teeth, it is usually for the natural course of his life. However, poor hygiene or certain diseases can accelerate it.