How Powerful Is the Dog’s Nose?
How Powerful Is the Dog’s Nose
by Sal Robinson

As you walk around your yard with your dog, you notice something. They stop to sniff a lot. Once they find a spot to inspect, it’s almost impossible to get them to move.
That’s because dogs observe almost the entirety of the world around them using their little snoots. They can gather a lot about a person or other four-legged friends by taking a big whiff.
That’s why they tend to get a little personal. How else are they going to get the information they need? Want to learn more about how a dog’s nose works? Keep reading for a complete guide into how your pupper sees.
It’s Their Primary Sense
While humans see the world mostly through their eyes, dogs can grasp a lot about a situation by using their noses. It’s their primary sense. According to aromatechscent.com, that’s why oil diffusers are so overwhelming to puppers.
To give you an idea of how important a dog’s nose is, humans have about 6 million smell receptors. Dog’s have 100,000 million. Some types of dogs have even more than that.
Bloodhounds are good at detecting things for a reason. They have 300,000 million smell receptors packed away in their snoots. The number of smell receptors isn’t the only thing that makes dogs so good at perceiving odors.
They have an organ we don’t have called the Jacobsen’s organ. It allows them to make out smells that are pretty much undetectable by other species.
What Kind of Information Do Dogs Gather by Sniffing?
So, what kind of information can a dog gather by sniffing? The answer is a lot. By getting up close and personal with another dog, they can determine its gender, what kind of food it eats, and its temperament.
Newborn puppies can use that Jacobsen’s organ we were talking about to detect their mother and find her milk source. A male dog can tell if a female is good to go for breeding.
A dog can even use its nose to determine if something is wrong with its pet parents. That’s why they always seem to know the perfect time to come running to the rescue.
What’s the Deal With Wet Noses?
Your dog’s nose works best when it’s wet. It’s more difficult for them to capture those sensitive smell particles when they have a dry snoot.
That’s why dogs tend to lick their noses. They don’t want to miss out on any important sniffs because they’re nose blind.
That would be the same as you walking around in a dark room with sunglasses. You can still see what’s going on around you, but it’s a struggle.
Understanding the Power of a Dog’s Nose
When your dog is exploring around your yard or neighborhood, let it sniff to its heart’s content. If you don’t, you’re effectively blinding your pupper.
A dog’s nose is a powerful tool that they use to perceive most of the world. You don’t want to force them to miss a single important sniff. For more information on puppers and what they can do, visit the Everything Dog section of our blog.