Whiskers aren’t decoration – they’re a vital sensory organ.

Whiskers (vibrissae) aren’t just cute – they’re functional, highly innervated sensory tools. Dogs have them above their eyes, on their muzzle, and upper lip. A 2025 study in Scientific Reports confirmed their anatomical and behavioral importance.

Whiskers respond to touch – stimulating them triggers a blink reflex, and dogs actively use them to explore objects and their environment. Video footage from the study shows dogs pushing their whiskers forward when investigating something. Micro-whiskers on the upper lip help them locate food on the ground – right where their eyes can’t see. They’re especially useful for close-up navigation and protecting the face from hazards like branches.

Histology and electron microscopy confirmed that each whisker sits in a specialized, highly innervated follicle (the follicle-sinus complex), surrounded by striated muscle. Meaning? Dogs can move them intentionally. These aren’t just hairs – they’re precision instruments.

Cutting a dog’s whiskers, especially for “aesthetic” reasons (like in poodles), is harmful. It robs the dog of tactile input and can affect behavior, spatial awareness, and comfort. The study documented cases of dogs that became disoriented and bumped into things after whisker trimming.

From an animal welfare perspective, trimming whiskers should be considered sensory deprivation. A dog has the right to full use of its senses.

---

Döring, D., Müller, H. E., Franzmeier, S., Matiasek, K., Blutke, A., & Reese, S. (2025). The canine vibrissal system as a highly innervated and functional sensory organ. Scientific Reports, 15, Article 9212. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91629-1