However, it wasn’t until sheltering in place during the pandemic that she decided to measure them.
In her free time, Lou loves to tag along on a range of adventures with her mom.
“Their long ears drag on the ground and stir up scents when they are tracking out in the field. It makes them great at following long, very old or cold tracks that other breeds of dog may not pick up on.”
Her achievement has even earned her a spot in the new Guinness World Records 2022 book.
She checks them once a month for cleanliness and, in the winter, uses a snood (an ear warmer for dog) to keep Lou’s ears from dragging in the snow.
These days, you probably don’t need your dog to be able to use their ears to track your next meal, but those long ears are as cute as they are useful, and remain a distinctive trait on many popular dog breeds. If you’re interested in what those breeds are, here are nine of the most commonly known dogs with long ears.
#1: Beagle
There’s no doubt that a beagle’s ears are its most easily recognizable feature. But did you know the scientific name for these drops ears or pendant ears? It’s true! Beagles’ ears are thin and floppy, too, since they are made of a semi-soft tissue called cartilage.
A beagle’s ears are used for more than just hearing. This dog breed was bred for hunting, which means they use their sense of smell often. The size of their ears comes in handy because they can also be used to trap scents around the animal’s nose. This ensures that they are able to catch their prey easier since the chances of losing the scent are diminished.
Their ears are also used to kick up particles on the ground they hunt on. Beagles do this by crouching close to the ground. Then, they drag their ears along the ground, which helps to stir up scent particles. This is useful for tracking down prey that would be otherwise quite difficult to locate.