AKC is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to akc.org. If you purchase a product through this article, we may receive a portion of the sale.
For dogs experiencing hearing loss, hearing aids may be an option in some cases. While canine hearing aids aren’t widely available and cannot restore hearing to normal levels, they can help certain dogs with mild-to-moderate hearing loss.
In This Article
Whether a hearing aid is right for your dog depends on the degree of hearing loss, overall health, lifestyle, and willingness to undergo extensive training and adjustment.
The Development of Dog Hearing Aids
Humans have relied on electronic hearing aids for more than a century, but canine hearing aids are a much more recent development. In the late 1980s, Dr. Patricia Luttgen created the first prototype by attaching a human hearing aid to a dog’s collar.
Today, one of the leading centers studying canine hearing technology is FETCHLAB, an animal hearing and bioacoustics laboratory at the University of Cincinnati. Under the direction of executive director Dr. Peter M. “Skip” Scheifele and his team, the laboratory focuses on canine amplification research.
FETCHLAB is currently the only organization that officially fits hearing aids for dogs. They adapt these devices from human hearing aids, and they typically cost upwards of $3,000. Because they remain in the testing phase and are complex to manufacture, FETCHLAB can produce only a limited supply.
Despite the challenges, interest from pet owners continues to grow. “The aim is to create hearing aids like some of the off-the-shelf human ones. We can probably get the price down to hundreds of dollars versus thousands,” Dr. Scheifele says.
Which Dogs Are Good Candidates?
Not every dog with hearing loss can benefit from a hearing aid. The best candidates are typically otherwise healthy dogs with mild-to-moderate hearing loss who still retain enough residual hearing to benefit from amplification.
“If a dog has profound hearing loss, then the hearing aid won’t work. No amount of amplification will make the sound loud enough that the ear can hear it,” Dr. Scheifele explains.
According to Dr. Scheifele, his team receives many inquiries involving dogs whose hearing loss has progressed too far for hearing aids to be effective. Hearing loss often develops gradually, making it difficult for owners to recognize the severity until significant damage has occurred.
“Usually, there are criteria for how much residual hearing the dog has to have for the hearing aid to work,” he notes.
Although cochlear implants are commonly used by some people with severe hearing loss, their current design isn’t practical for dogs.
Dr. Scheifele also doesn’t recommend hearing aids for service dogs experiencing hearing loss. “It becomes too much of a liability if the hearing aid doesn’t work, as it can put the person they work for in jeopardy,” he adds.
How Dogs Are Evaluated and Fitted
Determining whether a dog can benefit from a hearing aid requires specialized testing and evaluations.
The process typically involves:
- Conducting a brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAER) test and, in some cases, an otoacoustic emission (OAE) test to assess cochlear (inner-ear) function.
- Reviewing the test results to determine whether the dog is a suitable candidate.
- Creating custom ear molds for dogs that qualify.
- Scheduling a follow-up fitting appointment to customize and tune the hearing aids.
This evaluation process helps ensure that only dogs likely to benefit from amplification move forward with fitting.
The Challenges of Using Hearing Aids in Dogs
Dr. Scheifele advises that owners should approach canine hearing aids with realistic expectations. Even when a dog qualifies for a hearing aid, successful adapting to using one can take considerable time and effort.
Some dogs never fully adjust — whether they’re hearing new sounds for the first time or hearing sounds again after a period of hearing loss. As a result, verbal commands may not automatically become effective simply because the dog is now wearing a hearing aid. Teaching your dog to respond to visual commands (rather than verbal ones) might be a more straightforward approach to training.
“The owner needs to know that they will have to spend a lion’s share of time training the dog to wear the hearing aid,” Dr. Scheifele says.
Because the device is a foreign object in the ear, dogs often need to gradually acclimate to using hearing aids. Patience and positive reinforcement from a dog’s owners are crucial during this time. Working with an animal behaviorist may help if a dog struggles with the adjustment process.
After turning on the hearing aid, owners must also help their dog learn to process newly amplified sounds. Keeping the environment relatively quiet during the adjustment period can help prevent sensory overload. Clear, consistent communication is also important as dogs learn to distinguish meaningful sounds from background noise.
There are practical concerns as well. Dogs that shake their heads vigorously can dislodge the wireless device. To reduce the risk of losing the hearing aid, FETCHLAB attaches the device to the dog’s collar using a small jewelry-style chain.
Are Hearing Aids the Right Choice for Every Dog?
Even when a dog qualifies for a hearing aid, it may not be the best solution.
Wearing a hearing aid requires an ongoing adjustment period, and some dogs never become comfortable with the device. In addition to adapting to the physical sensation of a foreign object in their ear, dogs must learn how amplified sounds differ from the natural sounds they were used to hearing before.
Importantly, hearing aids don’t restore hearing to normal. Dogs hear an electronically amplified version of sounds and must learn to filter out background noise. This can affect their recognition of previously learned verbal commands.
“This sometimes means the dog needs to be retrained on those verbal commands,” Dr. Scheifele adds.
For some owners and dogs, the time, expense, and training requirements may outweigh the potential benefits.
Supporting a Dog With Hearing Loss Without Hearing Aids
Just because your dog has hearing loss doesn’t mean that they can’t live a happy, enriched, and active life. Many dogs adapt extremely well using alternative forms of communication.
Training methods such as hand signals, gentle touch cues, and vibration-based signals can help maintain strong communication between you and your dog. Using a long line during walks can also provide safe freedom while preserving control.
Many deaf dogs continue to participate successfully in dog sports and other activities they enjoy. Their inability to hear doesn’t diminish their ability to learn, engage, or form strong bonds with their families.
It’s also important to remember that a dog’s sense of smell is their most powerful sense. Sniff-focused walks and scent-based enrichment games, such as snuffle mats, provide mental stimulation, confidence building, and stress relief for dogs with hearing loss.
Key Takeaways
- Specialized hearing aids are available for some dogs with mild-to-moderate hearing loss, but they do not restore normal hearing and are currently available only through limited programs.
- Dogs with profound hearing loss generally cannot benefit from hearing aids because amplification cannot compensate for severe loss of hearing function.
- Determining whether a dog qualifies for a hearing aid requires specialized hearing evaluations, including tests that measure how well the auditory system is functioning.
- Successful use of hearing aids in dogs often requires extensive training, gradual acclimation, and ongoing management from dedicated owners.
- Many dogs with hearing loss thrive without hearing aids by using hand signals, touch cues, vibration-based communication, and scent-focused enrichment activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Can dogs wear hearing aids like humans do?
+
Yes. Some dogs with mild-to-moderate hearing loss can wear specially fitted hearing aids adapted from human technology. However, canine hearing aids are not widely available and are currently offered only through specialized programs.
-
Which dogs are most likely to benefit from hearing aids?
+
Dogs with mild-to-moderate hearing loss and enough residual hearing to detect amplified sound are typically the best candidates for hearing aids. Dogs with profound hearing loss usually cannot benefit from amplification.
-
How much do hearing aids for dogs cost?
+
Custom-fitted hearing aids for dogs typically cost more than $3,000 because they are adapted from human hearing-aid technology, individually fitted, and available only in limited numbers through specialized programs.
-
Do hearing aids restore normal hearing in dogs?
+
No. Hearing aids amplify sound but do not restore normal hearing. Dogs must learn to interpret amplified sounds, and some may require retraining on verbal cues after receiving a hearing aid.
This article is intended solely as general guidance, and does not constitute health or other professional advice. Individual situations and applicable laws vary by jurisdiction, and you are encouraged to obtain appropriate advice from qualified professionals in the applicable jurisdictions. We make no representations or warranties concerning any course of action taken by any person following or otherwise using the information offered or provided in this article, including any such information associated with and provided in connection with third-party products, and we will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages that may result, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death.