Dog noses come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, but they all do the same thing besides the obvious; They keep your dog informed. The bigger, longer, and wetter the nose, the more information is sucked in… like a kind of vacuum cleaner.
Many embarrassed, exasperated, and inexperienced dog owners ask, “Why does my dog have to smell everything?” The answer is that there are at least 220 million reasons.
However, the simplest answer given by dog trainers and behaviorists is, “Because the nose knows!” By learning Dog, you’ll better understand your pet’s not-so-elegant way of meeting and greetings and why he does what he does.
Most dogs have between 200 and 250 million olfactory receptors. You have approximately a measly 5 million. Their combined olfactory “system” is 4 times greater than ours! The 7 square meters of nasal membrane in your dog’s nose is open 24/7 and is crying out for information.
A dog’s sense of smell is stronger than its sense of sight. Blind dogs do well, sniffing their way through life.
We have 24-hour social media, computers, and news to fulfill our addiction for information and socializing. Your dog too. The difference is that your computer and your social network are in your brain. A walk around the neighborhood or the dog park is packed with old and updated information. Sniffing along the way also provides maps to the GPS system in your dog’s brain.
That could be one of the reasons why dogs that are walked more frequently tend to get “lost” in fewer numbers than those that aren’t. Their nose and the GPS in their heads help them find their way home.
Are you aware that the information your canine companion receives from sniffing a single drop of urine will provide them with a great deal of information? Through that nose, they will know: who was there, when they were there, what they eat, if they are male or female, if they are neutered or spayed, how old they are, if they are dominant or submissive and even if they are in a good mood… or not!
Hounds have been our hunting companions for thousands of years. Their larger nose and floppy ears made them invaluable to human hunters. Even in the Middle Ages, bloodhounds were known to have an innate sense of smell, and were used successfully as trackers, much to the chagrin of fugitive criminals and poachers.
For centuries it has been believed, and is still believed by some, that dogs with large, long noses and gaping black nostrils make the best trackers. Makes sense; since their olfactory chamber would be bigger and would be able to store and send more information faster to the olfactory part of their brain, let’s say that of a Bulldog or Pug!
Have you ever noticed your puppy or dog taking short, quick breaths in and out while sniffing something? What they are doing is maximizing the detection of that scent.
By licking and moistening your nose, you increase your ability to collect scent samples and store that information in your private library. It is even believed that your pet can store three-dimensional images in its brain of various odors. That’s another reason why they excel at tracking, hunting, drug hunting, termite, bed bug and other insect infestations, search and rescue, as cadaver dogs and now some are being tested and used to detect cancer! !
Its ability to discriminate between odors also makes covering up an odor virtually impossible! In addition, it is only necessary to hold an object for only 2 seconds and the dog will know who has touched it. That was evident recently in a pack of envelopes I mailed to a friend. She informed me within minutes of bringing the package into the house, her hound mix, which she had trained, focused on my scent on the envelope and its contents.
This is the same dog that recognizes my voice when the phone is on “speakerphone.”
Here are some tidbits of information that might be worth knowing when learning to talk dog.
A cold, wet nose is not necessarily the sign of a healthy dog. Some dogs with hot, dry noses are just as healthy. The thing is, you learn the difference with your particular pet.
A runny nose is something that needs to be carefully watched. It could be a sign of a respiratory obstruction or infection.
Unless it is an immediate emergency, never try to clear a nasal obstruction. The membrane in your dog’s nose is exceptionally sensitive and should be removed by your vet.
Your dog uses his nose to cool off.
A dog’s nose print is as unique as a fingerprint.
Your dog’s nose may change color, depending on seasonal changes, or even eat out of plastic food bowls.
Your dog’s nose can get sunburned.
Certain breeds, such as bloodhounds, have a pronounced sense of smell. (Ask anyone who owns a Beagle!)
And dogs with longer noses are thought to live longer than those with shorter noses.
Bottom line: Now that you know more about your dog’s nose and are learning to talk dog, you may not feel as tense or embarrassed when you sniff around. He always controls inappropriate behavior before it becomes obsessive, but he appreciates that it’s completely natural and that your dog’s nose knows it.