It’s funny how some memories stand out more than others, with such clarity and detail. I remember one such moment from probably 10 years ago. I was out on a walk with a friend and our dogs. My friend had gone into a shop and I was waiting outside with the hounds. It was one of those still, early summer days, pleasantly warm and relaxing. My boy Finn was sitting in a sphinx pose, eyelids drooping as he dozed in the dreamy afternoon shade. His BFF Boudie was flat out, also enjoying the cool spot under the tree where we were waiting. I sat on a low wall, delighting in the peace and feeling grateful for this moment with these beings. I was looking at Finn and I noticed that, though he seemed to be drowsing, his nose was never still. I glanced over at the seemingly sleeping Boudie and saw that her regal snoot was also twitching and flaring and I wondered just what it was they were perceiving. I’d read somewhere that a canine’s sense of smell is so much more acute than ours. I decided to look into it when I got a moment. That sweet scene came back to me just recently when I finally decided that moment was now and I started reading more about just what makes a dogs sense of smell their super power.
Those of us with good eyesight see the world in vibrant colours, whereas dogs experience it in “aromascope,” a vivid, intricate tapestry of smells that we can’t even begin to imagine. Their sense of smell is up to 100,000 times more powerful than ours, and every scent they pick up tells a story.
And apparently dogs don’t judge a smell as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ (unlike their humans!) – they are just interested in the information it contains. This really explains some of the unsavoury delights I notice my charges investigating!
Another amazing thing is that a dog’s nostrils can work independently. How cool is that?! When a dog inhales, the airflow splits, allowing them to sniff separately with each nostril taking in separate aromas. A huge portion of their brain is dedicated to processing the scentscape around them. Which may be why they are often oblivious to commands to ‘LEAVE’ when they find a particularly juicy item – such as a rotting animal carcass. This aroma-processing ability helps them pinpoint the exact location of a scent, like a built-in GPS. They even exhale through slits on the sides of their noses, which helps circulate new scents in while they breathe out the old ones.
Inside a dog’s nose, there are up to 300 million olfactory receptors (we have a mere 5 million), all connected to the processing part of their brain. This allows them to detect things that are nowhere on our smelling radar, from tracking down a missing person to sniffing out diseases like cancer.
‘Your Dog’s Got Pee Mail’!
Some people refer to their furry friends incessant sniffing while out on walks as ‘reading their pee-mail’ and this isn’t far from the truth. With their super olfactory abilities the scent of another dogs urine can provide much information, such as:
- Which dogs were in the neighborhood, both regulars and those passing-through
- Age of the dog and sex of the dog
- Whether the dog is in heat or if it was spayed or neutered
- The dog’s stress levels
- Diet of the dog including the overall health
Animal behaviour experts think that a dog’s communication and social skills are enhanced by being allowed to sniff. They get to know the scent of local dogs so that they aren’t so anxious when they meet them snout-to-snout. Or they recognise the ones to avoid who aren’t so friendly. The mental stimulation they gain from regular sniff-athons contribute to their overall well-being and may well make a nervous dog less so if allowed to take their own time in the process
When scenting, I learned that dogs prefer to pee vertically – think lampposts. And the more dominant (even if very small) dogs may perform all sorts of acrobatic contortions in order to spray as high up a post or tree as they can. I have witnessed this many times when petsitting. I’ve also noticed that female dogs tend to pee beside a scent rather than on it. They generally leave that to the males. I guess the higher up a scent is, the impression given is that of a bigger dog. Top dogs spray higher!
Dogs who aren’t allowed to sniff are really missing out and it can be very detrimental to their health and wellbeing. An anxious dog will become more agitated if hurried along, not able to examine and interpret its environment. It would be like someone being frog-marched through an unfamiliar foreign city with all its sights, noise and clamour. That person would become disorientated and fearful, not spending time assessing their surroundings for danger or information. It might even lead the dog to think that, as their human is hurrying, then there must be a problem, thus making a nervous dog more so.
I observed with Finn that the older he got the longer he spent sniffing. It became more important than the distance we covered. Which is understandable – it’s just like older people who can’t physically get out and about anymore but like catching up with news on the phone or to spend more time reading.
I especially feel sorry for those dogs whose owners cycle with them on a lead. I’m sure their humans think they are giving their pet a good run to tire him out. However, as I’ve learned that is far from reality for the dog and if it’s a regular routine for exercising them then it certainly isn’t in their dogs best interests.
Next time I will write about some great ways to stimulate a dogs olfactory sense – don’t worry – it doesn’t involve hiding a dead squirrel behind the sofa!
Image Credits: Collie -Tadeusz Lakota Unsplash, Pointer – Jeff Nissen Unsplash