However, if you accidentally cut one off yourself, or have done this in the past, do not immediately panic. Handy Hint: If you want to know about how it might affect your dog having no whiskers, click here. In general, this is not too much of an issue, and in most cases, the absent whiskers will grow back after some time has passed. That being said, if you suspect this is the case, make sure that you sit your child down and explain that they need to be gentle with the family dog. Although this is unlikely to happen as a result of your child pulling at them, it is still best to minimize the chance that this might happen.
In the worst-case scenario, dogs will sometimes lose whiskers from fighting with other dogs or receiving facial injuries. Thankfully, it is very rare for a dog to irrevocably lose all its whiskers, and even if this happens, it will find a way to adapt over a period of time. Unlike other hairs, dog whiskers immediately stand out.
For one, they are much thicker and coarser than regular hairs and have deeper roots. Secondly, they do not cover the whole body, only being localized around the eyes, above the upper lip, and underneath the chin. Interestingly, the pattern of these hairs can also vary depending on the breed, with some dogs having much shorter or longer whiskers than others. Unlike humans who are born mostly hairless, puppies are born with their whiskers and do not need to reach adolescence for them to appear.
The reason for this comes down to their follicles the area in which the hairs grow which contain a multitude of nerves and blood vessels. Without their whiskers, dogs would essentially lose one of their vital senses, therefore, being unable to navigate the world around them as efficiently as before.
As mentioned above, whiskers are a vitally important tool that dogs use to navigate. However, how does this actually work? Are you concerned about certain hereditary diseases your dog might develop one day?
The joy a dog can bring to your family is priceless, but the reality is that owning a dog comes with ongoing costs. Do dogs actually need to supplement their diets with vitamins and other nutrients? And if so, which vitamins do dogs need? A sturdy, high-quality dog house can offer shelter from all the elements. See which ones we recommend for all kinds of situations. Yes, all dogs have whiskers. In fact, most mammals have whiskers except for humans. The technical term for whiskers is vibrissa 1 , and they are more important than the hair that humans grow on our faces.
The whiskers above the eyes help protect foreign objects from getting into their eyes. Do dogs need whiskers the same way that cats do? Yes, they are very similar to the whiskers found on cats, rats, bears, and seals. But dogs' whiskers are longer, more stiff and thicker than the rest of their fur.
They're also rooted in the skin three times deeper than the rest of the fur, and the follicle of each whisker is flooded with blood vessels and nerve cells. Whiskers are not just stray hairs; they're like GPS systems for dogs. These navigational tools can sense touch and vibration, helping a dog distinguish objects, wind and sound immediately surrounding his head. This is useful in determining the size of any enclosure, including a prey's den or a small indoor enclosure.
Whiskers also protect the dog's face; if dirt, a thorn or any other unwanted object touches his whiskers, he will blink, shielding his eyes. Because they're so vital to a dog's life, whiskers shouldn't be cut. However if this happens by accident, a dog needs whiskers cut for surgery, or you notice a whisker or two has fallen out, it's reassuring to know they grow back.
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