Not Just Drugs and Dead Bodies: Sniffing Dogs & Their Amazing Noses
Most people know that police K-9 dogs can detect things like drugs and dead bodies, but many don’t know they can sniff out a host of other things.
Like what, you ask? Like electronic storage devices, and even more just with their noses. Here’s how it works and what you’re up against if you ever think about committing that epic crime of the century.
The Incredible Olfactory Ability Of Dogs
Dogs are super-sniffers. Their sense of smell overpowers our own abilities by many orders of magnitude. How much? Try 10,000 to 100,000 times as acute. Even at 10,000 times our own power, it means that, if we could smell a teaspoon of sugar in a cup of coffee, a dog would be able to detect that same teaspoon of sugar in a million gallons of coffee. Amazing.
And, according to James Walker, former director of the Sensory Research Institute at Florida State University, “If you make the analogy to vision, what you and I can see at a third of a mile, a dog could see more than 3,000 miles away and still see as well.”
Why Dog Noses Are Wet
You’ve probably noticed it before. A dog’s nose is normally wet. It’s because glands inside that nose provide the lubrication for it. The moisture helps capture scents and hold onto them. It’s sort of like scent glue.
But a Dry Nose Doesn’t Mean Dog Is Unwell
A common myth is that a dry nose means dog is sick. But, this isn’t always true. According to John Soares K9 Training, sometimes, it’s normal for a dog’s nose to be dry as a bone. You want to look out for any discoloration though, non-clear discharge, and cracks or flakiness. This does indicate something is wrong.
How Dog’s Nostrils Work
When we inhale and exhale, we do it through our noses. It travels through the same passageway. But, when dogs breathe, their nostrils work independently from each other. A fold of tissue just inside their nostrils allows them to sniff and separate odors into two different paths. One path lets the dog break down the odor to tell dog everything about it while the other lets the dog breathe.
Dogs Don’t Exhale Like You Might Think
The reason a dog can sniff out so many things is because they don’t breathe like us. If you look closely at your dog’s nose, you’ll notice slits on either side. These are slits where dog breathes out.
Dogs Learn Through Sniffing Pee
It sounds gross, but dogs learn a lot from sniffing pee. Dogs leave each other messages through their urine. And dog can find out the latest and greatest “neighborhood news” just by going out and sniffing around.
Dogs Can Smell Fear
This is why they’re so useful for police and FBI investigators. Dogs can sniff out fear through nervousness, accompanied by changes in heart rate and blood flow that pushes chemicals to the skin’s surface. This means they can smell your many different emotions.
If your dog shows sniffing skills, it is something you can help develop. Training involves interacting with your dog in an fun way, using props like its favorite toys for example, in an effort to motivate the dog to connect the dots for itself. No good dog training involves the use of force. Instead, a trainer works to figure out the dog’s motivations so as to induce the right responses. Depending on the breed of dog some results will be better than others and that is to be expected.
John’s introduction to the Dog World started at the age 6, through his uncle, who bred and trained hunting dogs. This exposure at a young age led John to start training dogs himself, learning about different breeds, techniques, and theories of training. In the years following his childhood, John became involved in “specialized dog training,” servicing people wanting a highly trained pet or a family guardian. John’s growth in understanding dogs and training led him to change his carrier path, and become a professional dog trainer, competitor, and handler. Since the late 1990’s, John Soares has consistently placed high in many national level championship competitions, which subsequently qualified him to participate in world championships, representing the United States. His talent and technique earned him prestigious certifications in Europe, where the dog training profession is controlled and regulated. After living in Europe as a professional dog trainer for 4 years, John moved back to USA in 2005.