Dog Smellers Versus Human
Scientists have gauged the stellar sniffing abilities of dogs to range anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 times greater than a human's. While humans have one olfactory receptor, dogs have about 50.
Short-Snouted Pups Are Less Smell Sensitive
Flat-faced and short-nosed dogs such as the pug, Pekinese, Chihuahua and boxer, have fewer scent-detecting receptor cells than dogs with longer snouts, such as a German Shepherd or bloodhound, who have 225 million and 300 million, respectively.
Dogs' Noses Are Made Different Than Ours
When humans inhale, we use the same air passage to both breathe and smell. Dogs' noses, on the other hand, include a fold of tissue that separates the two functions.
Some Dogs’ Ears Work With Their Noses
Many dog breeds feature long, floppy ears to give them the unique talent of fanning aromas up into their nostrils, making their noses all the better to smell with.
Scent-Tracking Pups Are Persistent
Some dogs are enthusiastic about every one of the thousand things they catch a whiff of on a walk in the woods or romp on the beach. But scent-tracking dogs zero in on specific targets and can walk right past a squirrel to find the source of the smell they're focused on.
The Best Dog-Sniffing Breeds
Bloodhounds have such scent-sensitive snoots that their excellent detection skills are helpful for purposes of law enforcement. They've even carried weight in court. Beagles are often chosen for sniffing duty by narcotics and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents.
Some Dogs Trail, Others Track; Some Can Do Both
There's a difference between dogs who can trail and others known for their tracking abilities, but many dogs are trained to do both.
What's the Wet Nose All About
Dogs have wet noses for different purposes. The primary reason they secrete mucous is to pick up smells better.
Dogs also lick their noses quite often, which is their way of cleaning them when they've stuck their noses in their food or in the dirt. Dogs' noses are often wet because it helps them cool down.
Dogs' Nose Prints Are Completely Unique
Like the fingerprints of humans, a dog's nose print is just as unique. There are companies that register the nose prints of individual canines and store them in case a pet is lost or stolen.
Canada has used this procedure to identify dogs for decades, and some kennels have begun a similar practice.
