We have a new member to our crew. Otis is a 15wk old pug. Since we are a lumber yard we are often using the planer for extended periods of time. I am new to having a dog so I’m unsure of how aware they are of preservation. He is a dependant little guy and would cry (maybe even pee himself) if I left him alone in the office. He likes to be right out with the “action”.
I’m sure someone here has a shop dog. My questions are: Have you ever put ear plugs in your dogs ears? Are dogs smart enough to go outside if the sound is bothering them? Is there any suggestions… Thanks in advance, Sara
Replies
Sara,
I can't answer any of your questions (others will, I'm sure), but I do want to say how heartwarming it is to know that you realized the potential danger to your new "crew member" and want to take appropriate precautions.
Good for you!
Regard it as just as desirable to build a chicken house as to build a cathedral.
Frank Lloyd Wright
I assume you've chosen a veterinarian to care for you new pet. I'd put the question to them.
My personal opinion is that a busy shop is not a place for children or pets.
My girlfriend has a golden retriever. As soon as he hears fireworks or gunshots in the distance he bolts into the bathroom and hides behind the toilet and actually shakes with fear. Yet, I often let him lay in the shop while I'm working (he loves the AC) and I can start any machine up and he doesn't even flinch. But open up a box of dog biscuits in another room---he's there! Selective hearing I guess.
Still trying to figure out the toilet thing though.
My guy's the same way with anything pneumatic. If the compressor comes on, or if I pick up an air hose he's under the desk at the other end of the house in a heartbeat. Yet he'll run right up to the lawn mower (blade stopped but motor running - we've trained him only to come near it when we are emptying the bag) and not show any sings of fear.
Mutt Muffs - very cool, though I agree, the first line of defense would be not to have the pooch in the shop when there is a lot going on.Regard it as just as desirable to build a chicken house as to build a cathedral. Frank Lloyd Wright
Hi,
I read your question and then got curious about it. I did a search and found this product:
http://www.safeandsoundpets.com/index.html
Have no connection to the product; don't know if it is really effective. But if it was my dog, I would either keep him away from the noise or find some way of protecting his hearing, especially if he was exposed to high noise levels regularly. Good luck!
Cheers,
Andy
Where is the boom mike on the dog muffs ?? Would be nice to converse with your best buddy !Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
My last dog was with me every day in the shop for about 16 years.
She never had any hearing problems, of course being a hunting dog, noise was not a problem for her.
My present dog doesn't seem to like loud noises, in the shop is restless, that's why he stays home in the winter and outside when the weather is good.
No problem with gun noises though.
C.
With the risk of sounding corny I'll share why I began to think about my dogs hearing. I watched Tim Allen's "Shaggy Dog" this last weekend (cute movie, very Disney). In the movie there were a few jokes around him having the smell and hearing of a dog. Got me thinking of the sounds and or noises I subject my dog to. i.e. music in the car, shop machinery, fourth of july.
Thinking more on it, not knowing a thing on how dogs hearing works, perhaps it is the high pitches that hurt their ears. 'Otis' doesn't seem to mind the planer noise. He sits and watches as we work. But on the other hand the planer doesn't hurt my ears either but over time my ears would take a toll. curious if dogs were the same.
Perhaps my vet would be the one to ask. I like the aviation ear muffs. We are not a huge company so with just three of us shuffling around having animals in the shop are more pleasure than nuisance.
Thanks for the responses they have been helpful. Sara
Did a quick search and turned this up.
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/vet00/vet00003.htm
Since the house is on fire let us warm ourselves. ~Italian Proverb
"...Perhaps my vet would be the one to ask...."
YES!
If you consider the fact that canine hearing is a lot more sensitive than human, even on a human's best day, I would think about it. Sure, there are a lot of deaf hunting dogs but there's no reason for it. Besides, how would you feel if it ran into traffic because it couldn't hear the cars and trucks?
I had a Golden that spent every bit of 5 days a week in a small shop with me, from the time he was 1 yr to near his death 11 yrs later. Towards the end, I knew he was losing his hearing and considered alternatives like leaving him out in his 1 acre fenced area, away from noise. But, he was a shop dog, and the highlight of his day was being in the shop. He was totally out of the way, greeted calmly everyone that visited, and was attentive enough to know when a car pulled into the drive.
The fact is - though it may sound selfish - is that his "work" was in the shop, patrolling, napping, chewing, sitting for peanuts or greeting. As we all know, a dog with a "job" is a happy dog, and this was one happy dog. He had no other behavior problems except that fireworks and thunder terrified him and caused him to dig - but only if he was not in the shop. The planer didn't even cause him to flinch. . While he was probably totally deaf by the time he died, as the vet said, he was happy and (otherwise) healthy, and I was happy, so how could it be better?
If your dog is well cared for, and not expected to run loose in traffic, let him be your companion. Even if he looses some hearing, he will read your lips and mind and never miss a beat. They are much smarter than we give them credit for.
Dave S
I thought dogs hearing was like 200 times better than ours or something, but anyway when I am in my shop, which is backed to a woods, I have my windows up and when I hear my neoghbors dog bark I look out and try to see Deer he barks at. I know it is not always the scent he picks up because of the wind direction. I figure if he can hear little hoofs walking, saws and air compressors must be a real loud noise for adog. I keep my hounds in the house!
It is great that you care, and it is your responsibility to make sure that you are not hurting him / her.
When they are pups and want to follow you everywhere, you need to be stern with them and give them a command to move away when you are using the loud tools. I hold my arm out point toward the doggie door, and say GO in a stern voice, and they know what I mean. When it is time to let them back in close, if you give them a good greeting, they are more forgiving than cats, who will hold a grudge.
When Lucy, now 12, was a wee pup she'd follow me into the shop, curl up in a box full of shavings, and go to sleep.
When it was time to operate a power tool, I'd pick up the box of shavings, take it outside, put it in the shade of the lemon tree right outside the door, close the door, and go to work.
If she was still asleep when I was done with the loud or dangerous work, I'd bring her and her box full of shavings back into the shop and go to work. She'd usually be romping around the back yard by the time I shut off the power tools, though.
If there's anything cuter than a fluffy little tail wagger, I'm not sure what it is.
-Jazzdogg-
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
Yeah Jazz, there is nothing like a little fuzz therapy to smooth out the rough spots in life. So does Miss Lucy like jazz music? I would think that the normal pooch brain would have a little trouble with those strange rhythms. When I am in the shop with the CD turned up late nights, and something gets my feet to moving, and I start thinking I ought to practice some of my most smooth dance moves, ol Burl is always eager to come participate. He is kinda partial to boot-scooting music, although it is usually bluegrass. He is a pretty good dancer but he usually gets tripped up when it comes to spin your partner, and a dosido. I guess his tail gets in the way, and it would be easier if I would quit stepping on it.
"So does Miss Lucy like jazz music?"
Hi Keith,
Funny you should ask. From the time we first brought her home as a pup (within a month after our previous Springer passed away), she'd tolerate the double bass (as long as I wasn't practicing with a bow), but would leave the room whenever I'd reach for an electric bass.
She seemed (she has lost most of her hearing by now) totally indifferent recorded music of any kind, but is usually attentive whenever animals appear on TV - we discovered this while watching the Westminster dog show several years ago!
My little fur person still wags her tail like crazy whenever I come home, which can smooth out most of the wrinkles from a challenging day!
-Jazzdogg-
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
You know I am not surprised to learn that those California dogs have discriminating musical taste. You know most of these Arkansas dogs are grateful when they don't have to spend long nights chasing after a coon or possum for supper. They will listen to most any kind of music. gotta go, lightning storm bearing down on me. K
Are dogs smart enough to go outside if the sound is bothering them?
In my experience, heck yes. We've always have alot of dogs around. Right now we have 4 in residence. My wife raises sheep so we always have to have at least a couple of decent working dogs around. Right now we have 2 working dogs, and 2 pets.
They seem to be pretty variable. I had one that would freak and run away if they heard gun shots a half mile away. I have a full grown border collie that had to be put in the basement this July 4th. OTOH, our new pet puppy is as fearless with noises as she is with everything else; firecrackers a few feet away didn't faze here; for a while I thought she was deaf until I confirmed I could whisper her name behind her back and she would respond.
Bottom line, IMHO, is just be observant of the dog's reaction, and let that guide you. And this may be contraversial, but as far as long-term, cronic, subtle hearing damage: remember it's just a dog, not a person. Don't get carried away with anthropomorphizing too much. It'll either be very old or dead in 15 years or so; it's not like they need to deal with the effects of 30-40 years of exposure to high levels of noise.
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