Quiet Ears For Dogs

quiet ears for dogs

A dog named Myko, rescued from a shelter, has taken Halloween costumes to a whole new level. As a puppy, Myko was afraid of the dark, and his old Halloween costume has helped him overcome that anxiety.

Elena and her husband recognized the uniqueness of Myko the moment they laid eyes on him over the internet.

“He had been rescued from a high-kill shelter in South Carolina, and prior to being at the shelter, there had been some kind of neglect,” Elena, Myko’s mom, said “When we saw photos of him, it was love at first sight … His little face on the screen with those enormous brown eyes instantly spoke to both of us, and we knew that we had to rescue him.”

Despite Myko’s enormous personality, he is also extremely sensitive. Myko is terrified of everything, including the sound of ceiling fans, fireworks, thunder, and running water.

“We never quite know what we might run into that sets off a fear response,” Elena said. “Despite that, he is incredibly brave, smart, and responsive to training — he has accomplished so much and moved beyond many of these challenges.”

quiet ears ford dogs

Myko’s barking might go on for a long time when he’s afraid. The only thing that seemed to soothe him was his parents’ innovative solution to the situation, which they found in their closet.

“We had read about how clothing that is form-fitting (like a ThunderShirt) or pressure around their ears can be calming for dogs who are in a high state of arousal,” Elena said. “We had purchased an Eeyore Halloween costume for him a few months back, so we pulled out the droopy ears portion of it. We put them on him and he instantly became very quiet and calm.”

 

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A post shared by Myko (@mykomushroom)

Eeyore’s old outfit has become Myko’s ‘silent ears,’ and he knows just what to do when they come out.’ Myko knows it’s time to relax just by looking at the ears. His favorite part of wearing the socks is getting a sweet treat while doing so.

“If he gets a reminder that he will need to wear them, he may just become quiet and then walk away to do something else,” Elena said. “When we pull them out or he sees them, he also may quiet down.”

 

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A post shared by Myko (@mykomushroom)

Myko’s calm ears afford him solace, and he consoles his parents each and every day with his soothing presence.

“The way he expresses himself, his feelings, his thoughtful reactions to things, is so inspiring and a reminder that it’s OK to feel things and look for help when you need it,” Elena said. “The lessons we have learned from him about courage, second chances, and kindness are endless.”

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