Pet Talk: Why do dogs have whiskers?

DEAR PET TALK: Why do dogs have whiskers?

— Dog Lover

DEAR DOG LOVER: Whiskers are “vibrissae,” a very special type of hair found in numerous mammals, notably cats and dogs. Since dogs do not have fingers and hands to explore (the way human babies do), they use their sense of smell and the vibrissae on face (the hairs above the eyes) and snout to make discoveries about their environment.

Unlike hairs on human’s faces, whiskers are directly connected to a dog’s nervous system and brain. They are more deeply embedded in their flesh, and connected to nerves, so they are much more sensitive than the fur on their bodies.

Animal researchers are still learning about the varied purpose of dog whiskers. What is known is that whiskers may help a dog with food acquisition, and helping to maintain head position when swimming (direction of currents). Whiskers also help detect changes in air currents. A dog with poor vision gets help from her whiskers to help her perceive her immediate environment.

Whiskers can help a dog “see” an object in the dark (sense of smell prevails over vision for dogs). Observe your dog’s face when she’s stressed or feeling threatened — she may “flex” her whiskers, along with baring teeth and going into a crouch. If an object (dirt, debris, vegetation) strikes the whiskers above the eyes, protective blinking is immediately triggered.

Watch your dog’s whiskers when you are interacting with her. If she’s alert, her whiskers may twitch. And if she’s curious, her whiskers may move. Whiskers can indicate some of the emotions your dog may experience.

Never cut whiskers on a dog or cat. They need them to navigate their immediate surroundings, and they depend on the information they receive from their whiskers to feel safe.

Of course, dogs and cats aren’t the only mammals with whiskers. Mammals as tiny as shrews, and as enormous as walruses all have whiskers. The animal that possesses the longest whiskers are Antarctic fur seals. Their whiskers can be more than 18 inches long. When you consider that seals live on land and sea and can swim to great depths (more than 350 feet on average), their whiskers are essential for them to forage for food in the darkness of the ocean.

Sally Cragin is the director of Be PAWSitive: Therapy Pets and Community Education. Send questions to [email protected].