Why do some dogs have ears so floppy they can’t stick them up or orient them? Just aesthetics or were they bred for something special like listening for ground sounds?
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This seems most plausible
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Replying to @vgr
It's a trait that was bred into hunting dogs. When they run, there ears flap and that helps push channel more scents into their noses. Improves their ability to find prey.
Also, super adorable.
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Vegetarian edition
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Replying to @vgr
wideopenpets.com/truffle-huntin all the truffle hunting dogs have big ears so I assumed it helped them sniff better
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i read some nature magazine at the doctors office years ago that said when they bred the most docile wolves together eventually they got floppy ears and waggy tails. for some reason they’re traits correlated with domestication
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Yup. It is a side effect of 'tameness' genes. The same floppy ears emerge when you domesticate foxes.
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Same reason adult domestic cats meow and feral ones don't: lack of adrenaline in early development.
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Keeps dirt out for ground dogs. Like a dachshund. German Shepard has ears high enough from ground that it's not needed.
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iirc it's part of the 'cutification' sub-process that happens with domestication.
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Generations of domestication (not needing keen hearing) is the reason I’ve heard. Apparently Darwin did an experiment on it even?
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Bred for neoteny to domesticate out most of the dangerousness and make them cuter (more puppy-ish)
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