The American Beagler Forum

I have heard and read on here that bigger ears make/help for better scenting, true or false ?
And if true, how does this work/help ? Does the flapping/swinging of the dogs ears lift scent ?

And please dont beat me up on this, I just simply dont know ...

That's the theory Runninghard. I can't say for sure, but that was the research I gathered several years ago while doing a study on hounds. Wish I could find it.

Supposedly, the swinging of the ears gently lifts scent off of the ground towards the dogs nose. There is a flap of skin in each nostril that dogs can open and close as they inhale and exhale. They open the flap to inhale, and close it to exhale.

If you look on the sides of a dogs nose, you will see a slit on each side. This pushes the exhaling breath away from the ground so the original scents doesn't get disturbed. Again, this is just from some research that I gathered.

I would assume the larger the ear, the better they are for lifting scent. Then again, the ears may be too long, and don't swing like they should. On the other hand, they may be too short and don't swing at all. None of this matters if the dog doesn't have a adequate sense of smell, or the brains to know what to do with it's sense of smell.

I doubt ears has anything at all to do with scenting, but thats just my opinion.

"A bloodhound’s outward appearance also adds to its tracking ability. Loose, wrinkled skin around the face helps trap scent particles and long, drooping ears that drag on the ground collect odors and sweep them into the nostril area. The dog’s long neck and muscular shoulders, which slope into its strong back, allow it to track close to the ground for miles on end."

For entire article see
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes ... smell/350/

I have read some amazing stories about these dogs natural ability.

There was a scientist who was doing research on Bullfrogs. He put the bullfrog on a table, clapped his hands loudly and the bullfrog jumped off the table. The scientist amputated one of the frogs legs and repeated his experiment. Again the frog jumped off the table. He amputated the other leg and repeated his experiment. He clapped his hands and the frog never moved. Ahh said the scientist, a frog cannot hear without legs.

I suspect the same scientist did the research on hounds ears. I think I will tape my dogs ears to the top of his head and see if he can still run a rabbit. I'm betting it won't affect him.

When looking at Conformation why do you think they look at the length of Ear??? And what they call the Earset the top of the Ear should be even with the corner of the eye this helps with the lay of the ear or the way it folds around and toward the nostril.
It Should come down to the Flute of the nostril at least, When the hounds head is down the ears cup inward and help Funnel the sent into the nose..

I would say it would effect him..you might just not notice it. The beagle...and other scent hounds..are not built and look the way they do just by chance. The long ears, short legs, loud bark, amazing nose,etc....are traits that were bread into the beagle for a reason..all of them combined..including their ears..make them awesome dogs. Anyway, they would look stupid with small ears!!!

The Psalmist said "I am fearfully and wonderfully made" speaking of God creating man. Sometimes on here I am tempted to think He did even better when He made the dog. ROWCO

So its true to some and false to others as is everything....

Thanks guys

Newt wrote: I think I will tape my dogs ears to the top of his head and see if he can still run a rabbit. I'm betting it won't affect him.

... If there is a way to prove it I guess this would be the way, I pictured a dog looking like this as I read your post and about fell of my chair, That was great

It would make a difference. Can you say a dog could not run a rabbit with short ears, no, but ears of length are for a reason and that reason is the uplifting of scent when working a trail. The blood hound is the best example in all of the scent tracking breeds. They are built for tracking and can run scent, or trail, from a ridiculous long time it was left, not hours, days old. Beagles should have proper ear length by breed standard, but I will say some lines have stronger noses or there brain triggers them to bark sooner on trail. That is a tough one to prove as well. Ears are there for a reason believe it or not.

What about on tough scent days the hounds work slower and more methodical using the nose and ear combo. You could not prove a shorter eared hound could do that any less, but in respect to that tough scent can you prove a slower movement by the hound with ears and nose will produce a more accurate rabbit race, I say yes. Again, nose power is varying in lines and patience is as well. Long winded answer to the fact that I believe the ears should be an issue when looking at a total dog.

It makes sense to me after reading the answers/comments, I see how it could work as a "helping hand" to a dogs nose

You read in the old books that hounds where slow and methodical in their rate of trailing. Sometimes, game was given up late one evening and hounds taken in and returned the next morning to "pick-up" where they'd left off the previous night. This no doubt was of the old Southern hound breeding when people enjoyed the length of time an animal could be trailed and kept pursued until killed by hunters at there choosing.
When sport became more a fashion, the Northern beagle was brought in and the chase became much faster with the intent of the hounds catching their game without the aid of the hunter.
At this time, it became fashionable and necessary to crop the ears of hounds, as the speed increased and the nature of the hound became more aggressive. You'll see many old pictures of fox hounds and beagles with somewhat bluntly cropped ears in olden days of England.
The length of ear are reflections of these long ago ancestors still coursing through the veins of our hounds today. Most anyone can view the "look" of a hound and tell whether it is somewhat ponder-some in nature or the more fleet of foot type. The standard was set to a medium of the two, not overly long nor to short so hounds could call upon it's aid when needed, but not be burdened by it's excess. jmho

Usually the longer the ears the slower the dog, thus making it look as though it has a bigger nose. My dogs run with tere head up so I guess it dont matter either way.
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Dogs with longer tails have better luck hitting the ground when they poop the long tail guides the poop to the ground.

I am a newbie to some as I have been a Beagler for only 2 years now , I have had some questions in the past and I am sure of many many more to come, I have learned alot in the past 2 years and to think I have A LOT more to go is mind blowing but I believe this is what will keep me and my heart for the Beagles at full steam, I learn something new everyday and to know this is just the beginning (for me) I will never reach the end of the sport I have became to love is priceless ! I fall asleep thinking beagles and awake thinking them as well, Think I am hooked ?