I often find myself wondering what my dogs are smelling when they lift their noses into the air. I’ve found that on very windy days the dogs seem more carefree, they have more bounce in their paws and they appear submersed in the air around them as they walk and play. They might be in mid-run when suddenly they stop for what I presume is no reason and just stand with noses skyward. Now granted there is much to smell in the forest; rabbits, squirrels, bear, deer, etc., you get the idea. But sometimes, I find myself asking if it is something more. How do they take in for example, the smell of the ocean, about 12 miles away, all the forest smells and the dog next door? Are they able to categorize, remember and store these smells for future use? Could dogs on a very primitive level be analyzing this information?
A dog’s sense of smell is obviously amazing, otherwise how could humans train them to sniff out disease, use them in disaster and recovery scenarios, as well as recovering drugs from traffickers’.
I don’t have any amazing dog tales to tell you, such as my dog found a missing child after two nights out in the cold. What I have is a curiosity about how dogs see, hear, and smell the world, and apparently I am not alone. Cat Warren, author, professor at North Carolina State University and a cadaver-dog handler was also intrigued with many aspects of dogs and the science behind their perception of the world. I would encourage anyone who is interested in learning more about how their dog views the world to read her book, What The Dog Knows. You may discover that your dog(s) have just as busy a day as you do.
What I am more concerned about in this blog, is bringing your attention to how your dog’s senses may actually complement your own, especially in cases of impending danger. Pay attention to your dogs routine, if they suddenly stop wanting to do something they normally look forward to, question why? This action in itself doesn’t suggest impending doom, your dog might just be feeling ill, but pay attention and question. If you usually walk your dog and they suddenly raise their fur, look around you. Remember the Boxing Day tsunami off the coast of Sumatra? Dogs and other animals had changed their normal routines as noted in the article published online at https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2005/01/news-animals-tsunami-sense-coming/.
A more recent article from 2018 posted by the American Kennel Club, explained how anxiety increased in dogs prior to earthquakes, with research providing evidence that dogs may be able to hear the high-frequency of sounds generated by impending earthquakes. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/can-dogs-predict-earthquakes/
Humans like to think of themselves as intuitive; but I ask you, “What about your dog?” When things just don’t feel right to you, look at your dog. What are they doing, is their routine normal, do they seem anxious? Are they trying to escape from their home or hiding when they would otherwise not behavior in this fashion? Take that moment and assess–does your intuition complement what your dog is telling you? Being willing to observe and deduce both your immediate apprehension and your dogs behavior could be more important than you realize.
