Information About Dogs and Smell

Since prehistoric times, Man has had one faithful companion – his dog. Sometimes a pet, sometimes a working or hunting dog, but nearly always inseparable, Man has relied on his canine companion for many things – particularly his sense of smell. It is a dog’s most highly developed sense - their wet noses dissolve the scent molecules and help them detect smells that mere humans cannot perceive. Just as a human brain is able to learn language, so a large part of a dog’s brain is devoted to interpreting their senses. Smell is the dog’s most advanced sense and is so keen that it is estimated to be a million times greater than a human’s. Why ? A dog’s nose has four times the volume of ours, and whilst a human nose has about 5 million ethmoidal cells (olfactory) cells, dogs have an average of 200 million ! 

All you have to do is look at how a dog’s sense of smell is employed by humans to see how exceptional that ability is, for canine noses have been hired to investigate all kinds of mysterious and dangerous situations – they have successfully sniffed out bombs and explosives, contraband drugs and tobacco and have been key players in arson investigations. They have tracked down escaped criminals, illegal immigrants and lost children and have helped rescue victims of earthquakes and other disasters. A dogs sense of smell is so finely tuned that you can train it to pick up a particular human’s footprints even if the prints were left several weeks earlier and have been trampled upon. 

More recently dogs have been trained to detect human skin cancer, identifying the illness before it has been diagnosed by doctors. In a recent study, two dogs given the command ‘seek’ would sniff a human body and ‘sit’ when they had detected cancerous skin cells. Scientists are now attempting to use dogs to identify schizophrenia by training them to detect the pheromones associated with the disorder. 

Many dog experts believe that the canine sense of smell helps dogs ‘talk’ to each other and help define their relationship. Dogs use their olfactory senses to interpret other dog’s pheromones (external chemical messengers) and learn important information regarding gender and receptivity to mating, also detecting physiological and emotional changes and like many other animals, dogs can also detect changes in weather. 

When it comes to food, as we know – there’s nothing like a dog for appearing as if by magic as soon as their human companion starts to investigate the contents of the fridge. Wishful thinking ? Olympic medal standard hearing ? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe it’s that nose again – whilst we know that a certain mix of smells means pizza – dogs work in the other direction – when they smell pizza, they are able to identify the individual components of tomato sauce, cheese and pepperoni. Moving on from those soulful, pleading eyes accusing their Human of starving them apart, the canine nose can also recognise emotions such as fear and anxiety – how many time has a pet owner been feeling unhappy and the dog comes along to thrust a wet muzzle forward, to offer love, sympathy and an affectionate lick ? There’s little that escapes that observant nose ! 

How does a dog smell ? 
No, the answer to this isn’t the old joke – terrible ! We’re talking science here. Dogs’ noses are designed to pick up scents – they are large and wet which collects and dissolves scent particles far more easily than ours. These moist noses cause airborne molecules to stick to and dissolve into the nasal cavity, which is tremendously rich in blood vessels, nerve endings, and sensory receptive cells. The information in these molecules is analysed by sensory cells packed within the nasal membrane, which then convert the scent to chemical messages which are then in turn transmitted to the olfactory region of the brain where they are interpreted. 

In general the larger or longer the nose of the dog, the more receptor cells they have and therefore the greater ability to smell. A daschund for example has 125 million receptor cells, a fox terrier 147 million and a German Shepherd a whopping 225 million. Human beings on the other hand, only have a mere 5 million receptor cells. As well as this highly efficient nose, dogs possess scenting glands along the roof of the mouth that also capture and transmit additional smells, so when a dog finds a scent it starts salivating – the wet tongue helps to pick up and dissolve more scent particles. And you thought your dog was just dribbling ! 

Dogs and Essential Oils 
In the USA it’s said that Americans use aromatherapy as much as conventional medicine when it comes to treating their animals, but it’s only just coming into use in the UK. Just as with humans, essential oils can be used alongside more conventional treatment – for example if your pet is receiving pain killing drugs from the vet, there’s no harm in allowing the animal to breathe a pain relieving oil such as Lavender at the same time. 

As with their human counterparts, certain precautions must be taken - if in doubt at all, consult your professional veterinary surgeon before commencing treatment, and pet owners should be warned that the use of complementary medicine is at their own risk.

The main difference between using Aromatherapy on animals and humans is in the dosage and application – much smaller doses are used for animals. Most recommended doses mentioned in books and on bottles, etc are for a 10 stone human

 – so the dose must be reduced proportionally for your dog – e.g. if your dog weighs two stone, then the dose to use is one fifth of that recommended for humans. The most beneficial application for dogs is usually via inhalation - for their fur makes access to skin (and so absorption) limited, and most dogs dislike bathing to the extent that this method is also discounted.

What ailments can essential oils help with ? 
The uses of Aromatherapy are as wide as for humans. Essential oils can be used for fleas, ticks and other minute parasites, to keep the coat in good condition, for cuts and grazes, bites, stings, irritated skin, allergies, coughs, colds and flu, killing bacteria and viruses on any bedding or blankets, arthritis, in dog toothpaste and as a breath deodoriser. They can eliminate those fragrant doggie smells, stop pets from biting wounds, stop them chewing and scratching, help with toilet training, and keep bothersome flies away. Interestingly enough it can also prevent fights and bullying. 

Finding the right oil can be a matter of experimentation, requiring time and much patience, but you will find that the dog will help you in choosing the right oil for them. Most animals will not lick material they do not like the taste of and this is what prevents them from poisoning themselves. One of the best ways of discovering which oils a dog likes is to hold an open bottle 6” below the nose and then watch for aversion, indifference or interest. Dogs have a very good instinct for the essential oils and even seem to know what is good for them. If you put an oil that is a digestive on one hand and a pesticide oil on the other, offering him both – a dog with a stomach upset will invariably come forward to lick the hand that will do him the most good. 

If you are at all worried about the dog ingesting essential oils, remember that they will have to ingest at least 5ml of any oil to cause any problems and since you’re only going to be using a few drops at a time, poisoning is unlikely – but as always, check with the aromatherapy textbooks, vets or aromatherapist if you are unsure which oils to use. 

When using aromatherapy on animals, you can rarely do harm and their behaviour will be able to tell you whether or not the oil is having the desired effect. Experiment, blending and patience are the key to success. As with humans though, dogs can build up a ‘resistance’ to the properties of the oil being used, so try to treat for short bursts of time. Alternatively, vary the treatments. Essential oils can perform a variety of functions and if you are looking for a relaxing oil, for example, there will be several to choose from, so if you feel your dog is ‘resisting’ just move on to another oil. In the final stages of treatment, just like in humans, the attraction to a particular oil can disappear, and an oil that was once thought of as being pleasant now takes on unpleasant undertones. Don’t worry – as with humans, it’s the body’s way of telling you that you no longer have a need for that oil, it’s completed it’s mission, and it’s time to stop. 

Calming the Canine - Soothing the Over Excited 
There are a number of oils you can use that have a calming or relaxing effect on your dog, and as always, they will help you discover the right one. Clary Sage, Bergamot, Lavender and Chamomile seem to be particularly beneficial, and are good to use for calming an animal prior to travel or moving house. The best way is to test and choose the oil up to two weeks before you need to use it, which will counteract any immunity building up. 

Soothing the Lonesome or Pining Pooch 
Aromatherapy can be very effective if you are leaving your precious pooch to go on holiday. For up to two weeks before you go on holiday, introduce an essential oil – it’s best to use a calming, relaxing oil that the animal likes. Just mix with sweet almond oil or other carrier oil and rub into the skin, which in turn will impregnate your clothes or pop a few drops into the final rinse in your washing machine. The easiest method (particularly if you don’t like the same oil your pooch does!) is to pop a few drops onto an old T-shirt that you wear during your time spent with your dog and then when you go away, leave the T-shirt behind with the dog and a bottle of the oil with the Dogsitter so they can sprinkle more oil on the clothing if necessary. 

Livening the Lethargic Canine 
If your pooch is lethargic or even dog tired (bad joke, I know) try some stimulating oils to liven him up. Choose oils such as Rosemary, Basil, Peppermint, any of the citruses or maybe Green Mandarin or Spearmint as they are also gently uplifting. 

One word of advice though – make sure that your dog is lethargic due to tiredness and not to anything more serious. It is important to remember that animals can’t tell you when they are in pain and so can become quiet, lethargic and reluctant to move – visit the vet first if you are at all unsure. 

Dog Tags | Kitty Litter Freshener | Gift Boxes

Home | Products | About Us | Why It Works! | Feedback