Dogs have many characteristics that often allow us to immediately tell what breed they are. One of the most noticeable are a dog’s ears.
Find out for yourself whether there are dogs with floppy ears that you don’t know yet. We have put together a selection of 10 breeds with long ears for you here.
Enjoy browsing!
All 10 dogs with long floppy ears at a glance
It’s amazing how many breeds there are with long ears. Everyone knows some of them, others are really exotic.
1. Bloodhound
When it comes to ear length, the Bloodhound tops the list. A whopping 34.9 centimeters were measured here.
However, the Bloodhound is less known for its floppy ears than for its sense of smell. For this reason, this breed is often used for hunting.
Bloodhounds are considered friendly and trusting, but also stubborn and difficult to train. Therefore, this breed is only conditionally suitable for beginners.
2. Segugio Italiano
In terms of ear length, the Segugio Italiano is hardly inferior to the Bloodhound. His ears also reach over his long neck to his shoulders.
The Italian pedigree dog was initially used mainly as a hunting dog. Today, however, he is increasingly kept as a house and family dog.
The Segugio Italiano is considered to be fun to train and is also well suited for beginners. He needs a lot of exercise and usually only partially gets along with other pets.
3. Basset Hound
The Basset Hound’s short legs ensure that the long floppy ears sometimes even touch the ground.
Originally from Great Britain, the dog is one of the most popular breeds worldwide. Not only because he has an excellent sense of smell, but rather because he is considered the perfect family dog.
The Basset Hound gets along well with children and other dogs. He needs relatively little exercise, but often tends to be overweight.
Good to know:
It’s unbelievable, by the way, but fact: The basset hound’s long ears help it smell by waving scents to its nose as it runs.
4. Weimaraner
This long-eared breed has its origins in Thuringia, as the name suggests with regard to the city of Weimar.
Weimaraners were once bred primarily for use in hunting wild boar, and the breed was only owned by royalty.
Today, the Weimaraner is one of the 40 most popular dog breeds.
The excellent sprinter – it reaches up to 56 kilometers per hour – is very playful and can be trained well. Therefore, it is equally suitable as a hunting dog as well as a family dog.
5. American Cocker Spaniel
The American Cocker Spaniel is one of the top 30 most popular breeds. This is not only due to his good trainability.
The very long ears and a particularly soft and cuddly coat give this breed a particularly cute appearance.
In addition, these dogs are considered to be very trusting and family-friendly, although they were originally used mainly for hunting.
Good to know:
Incidentally, the Cocker Spaniel is the only dog in the world that can run on ice without any problems. The underside of its paws has small fins that help it maintain grip on even the smoothest of surfaces.
6. Barbet
What is special about this breed, originally from France, is that it was bred from the start to be a family dog.
The Barbet is therefore very friendly, sociable and loyal. It is also suitable for beginners and can be trained moderately. He needs quite a lot of exercise.
He is a very good swimmer and loves to bathe in mud pools. Due to its dense and long fur, not every owner jumps for joy here.
Small consolation: Despite the large amount of fur, this breed sheds relatively little.
7. Irish Red Setters
As the name suggests, the Irish Red Setter comes from Ireland. There he was mainly used as a hunting dog, but also as a therapy and family dog.
There are four setter breeds in total. The Irish Red Setter has a red-brown, short coat and floppy ears covered with long hair.
The Red Setter gets along very well with children and other dogs. He has a strong hunting instinct, is sociable, playful and trusting.
It is therefore not recommended as a guard dog.
8. Poodle
Poodles come in four different sizes. The so-called «toy poodle» is the smallest species and is mostly kept as a family or lap dog.
Standard poodles, on the other hand, are also used for hunting, among other things. However, all poodles, no matter the size, have long ears as a common feature.
They train well, shed very little and live up to 18 years.
The poodle is one of the favorites of dog groomers. Their fur, which grows quickly and constantly, ensures lasting customers and is ideal for creating new cuts again and again.
9. Basset bleu de Gascogne
The long body, short legs and long ears make the French Basset bleu de Gascogne more reminiscent of a German dachshund.
This breed was originally bred for hunting. An excellent sense of smell allows them to pick up tracks from a great distance.
Today, the Basset serves primarily as a family dog. He can be trained mediocre and is considered to be cheerful and curious.
The basset hound also requires very little exercise. Some call him the epitome of the «lazy dog». The basset hound was probably not bred for sport-loving owners. He often has to be pulled off the sofa with gentle force before he can be taken for a walk.
10. Black and Tan Coonhound
This breed, which originated in the USA, was originally used primarily for hunting. Today, on the other hand, they are used more as family dogs.
This dog is another example that long ears are no guarantee for a well-developed hearing. Rather, the Black and Tan Coonhound is known for its keen sense of smell.
Danger:
The Black and Tan Coonhound is considered to be easily trainable, but its extremely strong hunting instinct can hardly be stopped. Therefore, he should always be kept on a leash.
The coonhound hates loneliness. If he feels lonely, he likes to spend his time with extensive howling.