Whenever you go out walking with your dog you may have to stop more often so your pooch can sniff trees, bushes and other areas in your path. But why do dogs do this? What distracts them so much? Even though it might be annoying to stop and go constantly, this process is important.
Your pup’s sense of smell is a superpower and their daily sniff routine helps them identify what’s happening around him or her. Sniffing everything is also a process that lowers a dog’s stress level. But what else can we learn about a canine’s sense of smell and what Zoflora product should you get that your dog will love? Let’s find out in today’s article.
A Dog’s Sense of Smell Overpowers Our Own
A dog’s sense of smell overpowers our own and it’s 10,000 to 100,000 as acute. Dog’s can detect odours in parts per trillion. For example, while you may notice if your coffee has an extra spoon of sugar, your dog can detect a spoon of sugar in a million gallons of water.
Did you know there was a dog that detected a plastic box filled with 15kg of marijuana that was deeply submerged in gasoline in a gas tank? Dogs can also detect cancer in their owners. These are just a few examples of how powerful a dog’s sense of smell is.
Dogs Nose for Odours
A dog has over 300 million olfactory receptors located in the nostrils. Humans only have about six million olfactory receptors. The part of a dog’s brain that examines smells is 40 times greater than our own.
Canines’ noses operate significantly differently from how yours works. When humans inhale they smell and breathe through the same airways within the nose. When your dog breathes there’s a fold of tissue in the nose that helps separate the breathing and smelling factors.
Therefore, when airflow enters a canine’s nose it splits these functions into two different pathways: one for respiration and one for olfaction. 12% of air goes to the back of the canine’s nose which is dedicated to olfaction. The rest of the air goes to the dog’s lungs.
The odours that your dog smells filters through structures called turbinates which sieve odour molecules based off of various chemical properties. The olfactory receptors that line the turbinates identify these odour molecules by shape and then send signals to the brain for analysis. How amazing is that?
How Does a Dog Exhale?
When a canine exhales the air exits through slits located on the sides of the nostrils. This helps bring in new odours into the dog’s nose based on how the air swirls out of your pooch’s nose. These slits on the sides of the nostrils also help dogs sniff continuously.
What’s more, dogs can wiggle their nose independently. This helps dogs locate the source of smells.
A Dog Has a Second Olfactory System
Dog’s have a second olfactory system that humans don’t have. This is because dogs have a vomeronasal organ that’s located at the bottom of a dog’s nasal passage. The organ detects pheromones which is a chemical unique to each animal species.
These pheromones that the vomeronasal organ detects won’t get mixed with the odour molecules because the organ has its own nerves that lead to a part of a dog’s brain that’s devoted to analyze the pheromone molecules signals.
They are Great Trackers
There’s no doubt that dogs are master trackers. Dogs take scent tracking to the extreme. They’re able to find missing people on a track in unfamiliar environments especially when the missing person’s scent isn’t the only one present. That’s how amazing your dog’s sense of smell is.
Even when there are other animal droppings on the trail or the smell of trees and flowers a dog can still smell the scent of the missing person and lead people towards that scent.
Why They Mark Their Territory
Your dog will urinate over areas he or she thinks other dogs will visit and smell. It’s a natural form of communication between dogs. This is because dogs are attracted to the smell of urine from other dogs and they’re able to get information simply by sniffing the urine. A dog’s sense of smell is so powerful he or she can detect the reproductive status, gender and identity of other dogs by sniffing the marked spot.
What Should You Do if a Dog Urinates in Your Home?
The best way to get rid of pet messes is to use your favourite Zoflora fragrance. However, there are Zoflora products that are specifically formulated for pet messes. The Fresh Home Coastal Breeze from Zoflora is one of the most popular products that pet owners love.
To get rid of smelly pet urine on your floors use your Zoflora Fresh Home Coastal Breeze on the affected area. You can pray your diluted Zoflora on the area and blot it with a clean cloth. Repeat until the area is clean.
You may be able to get your pet to stop urinating in a certain spot by eliminating the odour of the mess using Zoflora.
Final Thoughts
Even though your dog’s sense of smell is extremely powerful your Zoflora product won’t cause any harm to your dog. When you dilute your Zoflora product it will be safe to use around your pets. So use your Zoflora product to clean up pet messes, wash pet beds and disinfect eating areas.
Visit the Zoflora shop today to find a fragrance you’ll love. For stress relief for you and your dog, pick Lavender Escape. Or pick Lemon Zing for a citrusy freshness.
Have you used Zoflora before? Let us know what your experience has been with your Zoflora product by leaving a comment below. We are always happy to hear from our readers.