Dog Noses
DOG NOSES
Would you agree dog noses are underrated? Let’s find out why!
People are fond of aromas that are fresh, floral and fragrant while dogs prefer the three D s: dirty, dead and disgusting. The sense of smell is the first of the dog’s senses to develop. Dogs are born blind and deaf and their dog noses are vital to finding their mom to nurse.
A Way To Communicate
Using their sense of smell that’s about a million times greater than humans, dogs gather quality information from their environment.Recently, on a neighborhood walk, my dog stopped suddenly and started sniffing the ground in a contracting spiral. He gave a qualified sniff to something that was totally invisible to me and remarkably absent from any of my senses. Most likely he found a phoneme marker left by another dog. Reading pee-mail via their nose informs a dog as to the sex, size, direction of travel and length of time since the smell was “posted”.
How Dog Noses Work
An article by NOVA scienceNOW writer, Peter Tyson, explains in detail what dogs have that we don’t. Check out the article and astounding quote included that describes the dog’s sense of smell with an analogy to vision. After thousands of years of evolution, dog noses continue to go boldly where no man (or woman) would choose to go. Dogs have an awesome nose coupled with an seemingly urgent yearn to find scent-sational smells.
Putting Noses to Work
You love your dog and provide a wonderful home. You attend to almost all your dog’s needs but what about his nose? Can you wiggle your own nostrils – independent of the other? Dogs can! Dogs are undeniably so much better equipped to smell and identify something than humans. The question is why don’t we recognize this in our companion pets and allow them to do what they seem to enjoy, using their sense of smell.
Give your dog a Smell Gift
Go on a walk with your dog where there are bound to be interesting smells. Allow for stops and starts with neither your time or destination being the priority. You should decide the direction of the stroll as your dog sniffs along at his pace. Street festivals, farmer’s markets, garden centers, food truck stops, public places, bus stops and city parks could be on your list.
Try Out Nose Work Sport
Wake up and Smell an Odor Recognition Test. There’s an organized dog sport utilizing smell identification and search challenges where you can enter your dog in prize and title winning trials. K9 Nose Work® workshops focusing on competition skills are held across the United States. The greatest thing about doing K9 Nose Work® is how easy it is and portable it can be. Your first step is to find out what your dog really, really loves. Not likes, LOVES! Starting with that key you will learn how to enjoy a great nose just as much as your dog.
More About Dog Noses
When it comes to choosing a dog breed for having a great nose, some dogs stand out. Can you name 10 breeds considered outstanding for their sense of smell? Compare your picks with the tale wagers at DogTime.com!