What Are Dogs’ Whiskers For?

In the case of animals, there are many questions that arise, such as what dogs’ whiskers are. Well, they are also good for something, like everything else in life. Would you like to know the answer? We will tell you!

The Importance of Dogs Whiskers

There are many people who are in the habit of  trimming dogs’ whiskers. This is not a danger in itself for the animal, but the truth is that this part of your body serves as a sixth sense. So when you cut, you might be subtracting some of your hunting or playing skills.

A dog’s whiskers  have roots that are up to three times deeper than the  animal’s normal coat, in addition to being twice as thick. Thanks to this, the dog will have an idea of ​​the world around him. Remember that neither your vision nor your perception are the same as ours.

In addition to the benefits of these whiskers, we will say that they serve as eyelashes. Although not located in the eyes,  dogs do not have eyelashes, but the eye whiskers serve as a protection for these.

What are dogs’ whiskers for?

Also, it’s important to go deeper into how they help you in your relationship with the environment. They collect information  and allow you to measure distances. So you understand, they act like an insect’s antennae. When they touch people and objects directly, it affects other parts of the dog’s body.

There are some caregivers who recommend trimming dogs’ whiskers because of established standards for the breed. However, your pet’s sensory information will decrease, considering the  well-being of your furry friend, you will be the one to make the decision whether to cut them or not.

Why do dogs’ whiskers respond to touch?

The touch sensation in dogs is found in  the skin receptors that accumulate at the bases of hair follicles. Therefore, some of the hairs are known as tactile hairs and are divided into five groups: supraciliary, chin, zygomatic, labial and mandibular.

These tactile hair groups include dog whiskers. Although the best known are those seen in the mandibular area, they  also have them over the eyes and other parts of the body.

How do these tactile hairs work? Like a lever. Because they are more ingrained, when touched, they produce a stimulus that extends through the nearest area of ​​the body and produce a reflex.

They are also very useful in the dark as they allow dogs to know the distance between themselves and an object they might bump or hurt themselves against. That’s why you  ‘ll always find that your dog is able to walk peacefully around the house even at night,  while you can’t take a step without touching a piece of furniture or a wall.

As we said at the beginning of the article, everything exists for a reason and, as we’ve seen, so do dogs’ whiskers. So never think about cutting them!