Dog ear defenders – does anyone have any feedback?

I’m bumping this thread, not sure if you’re still around @Leeleebijou... did you ever find any ear defenders that fit your White Swiss Shepherd? I’ve also got a White Swiss Shepherd who is my assistance dog; he often comes with me to concerts (both when I’m in the audience and when I’m performing). He actually absolutely loves it — he’s always loved music more than anything and the crowds don’t bother him at all, he’s very relaxed. I’m looking for some suitable ear defenders to protect his hearing, as I imagine there’s a risk of long-term damage otherwise. I’d really like to avoid that! Let me know if you have any updates ;)

Hi Mel1, I’m not talking about parties, even though when you hear ‘DJ’, you probably picture a late-night event with music blaring... it’s a long thread, so you’d really have to read back through the comments from the start.

Personally, I don't think it's any place for a dog... I've seen so many dogs in a really sorry state at these events... Plus, the noise is unbearable for them; their ears aren't like ours, they're far more sensitive. I'm also worried that noise-cancelling headphones aren't the answer and could actually end up frightening them.

Hi, When Ookipa injured his ear, we were forced to have him wear a sort of headgear system day and night for a month. It kept his ears held in place and stopped him from being able to pull it off. It was developed by some Americans, originally for medical reasons. But having owned two of them—one being a pretty sturdy denim version—I reckon you could definitely customise it to add an extra layer of soundproofing material. It’s called a No Flap Ear Wrap. https://www.noflapearwrap.com/?variant=1045913141273 In my opinion, dogs get used to them very quickly; they’re actually really well-made. Mind you, as the others have said, you’ll just have to see how it goes in practice. Ookipa comes to restaurants with us, out on the paddleboard, to windsurfing spots... we’ve even taken him to the funfair and to music festivals (not like full-blown concerts, mind you). The thing that’s caused us the most grief is when there are food trucks around—he becomes totally uncontrollable and spends the whole time scavenging under all the tables!

I’ve had two dogs before; I was 10 when we got the first one and it was a really difficult experience. She was a Rottie-Labrador cross, given to my brother for his 18th birthday when she was only six weeks old, and as we weren't prepared or educated on how to look after a dog, it was a struggle. That story ended in tragedy... and believe me, I still feel guilty about how it all turned out. I’ll probably share the full story at some point to raise awareness about getting a puppy; hopefully, it might help future owners avoid making a lot of the same mistakes. :( Ten years went by and we got a Border Collie when he was three and a half months old. He’s still living with my parents and he’s an absolute angel. We did our research on dog temperaments that time around and made sure we educated ourselves on how to be good owners. I just hope he gets on with my little girl! :) Now here we are, another ten years later, and even though a lot of the advice out there seems similar, I’m always finding new things that help us learn more about how to keep a dog happy! The main reason there are so many abandoned pets is usually down to people not educating themselves before the dog arrives, and believe me, I’m in a position to know that only too well, unfortunately.