Photo by Naomi Torres
Dear Ginger: In spite of my luxurious, fluffy ears, I seem to have a hearing problem. Lately, when my human gives me a command, I just don’t notice. The strange part is, if she brings out a treat, I can hear even the slightest direction across the length of an athletic field. I’m too young for a hearing aid. What should I do? ~ Can’t Hear You
Dear Can’t Hear: Not to worry. You have a condition common to us dogs. Humans call it selective hearing. You may notice they exhibit it also…say when they’re asked to take out the trash or pick up the poop. We dogs have a specialized form called audiovictus, meaning to hear with food. For unknown reasons, many of us just need a treat or two in the vicinity to be able to get our ears to work properly. Some people say treats are bribes for your dog. Nothing could be further from the truth; they’re called treats because they treat a very real condition. So even if your ears were not fluffy and puffy, you would likely still have to learn to live with it. My advice…enjoy taking your medicine. ~ Ginger