Have you ever experienced this? After a busy day, you return home and your four-legged friend immediately comes to greet you joyfully and sniffs you. Dogs’ impressive olfactory abilities allow them to perceive scents in ways we can hardly imagine. But what is the range of this sense of smell and how intense is it really?
The olfactory world of the dog
The dog’s nose has an amazing ability to smell. While humans have about five million olfactory cells, the number in dogs can run into the millions. These olfactory cells are also much more sensitive. For example, they can distinguish sugar from salt, although they cannot taste either.
How far does the dog smell go?
A dog’s ability to smell varies depending on breed, age and size. But in general, dogs can pick up scents from much further distances than we humans can. Some experts estimate that they can perceive scents from up to three kilometers away.
What’s particularly fascinating is that dogs pick up scents not only from the air, but also directly from the ground. So when you watch your dog sniffing a tree or the ground, he gathers valuable olfactory information.
How impressive is a dog’s sense of smell?
Dogs have a remarkable ability to smell. This allows them to recognize individuals, identify other animals and even sniff out some diseases. Some breeds of dogs with particularly strong olfactory abilities are used as sniffer dogs.
How does a dog recognize its human?
Surely you have heard that dogs recognize their humans by smell. How does it work? Every time you pet your dog, you leave your individual scent on him. He can perceive this scent and associate it with you. Even if you are not present, he can identify your scent on objects you have touched.
If you and your four-legged friend would like to get more involved, mantrailing could be an exciting activity. Here, dog and owner learn to follow “missing” persons. It offers not only fun, but also promotes the interaction between man and dog and provides mental and physical workout. Many places now offer such courses, so maybe it’s worth a try!