Category / Behaviour

How dogs smell. Curious facts about dog's nose, how they detect scent, disease, what can affect dog ability to smell. (C) Perfect cocker spaniel dog blog by Natalia Ashton / Canine nutritionist, pet nutrition coach, all about English cocker spaniels, grooming, training, diet, puppy tips. Photo of Cooper, English cocker spaniel with snow on his nose.
by Natalia

Dog’s nose | Curious facts beyond the boop

It’s not just for cute boops… A dog’s nose is probably one of the most fascinating things about them. So much so that I am dedicating another post to the dog’s nose and incredible sense of smell. 

I love watching my boys noses, how they follow an invisible story, the tiny twitches, the hunger of the unknown and exciting information they greedily breathe in. They are both into this ritual, yet I often wonder how Coop and Fred perceive this world based on their experiences of scents.

Coop is certainly a good sniffer, but the boy is mostly interested in pee mail. And flowers. Fred, on the other hand, has the nose of canine dreams! He doesn’t care about the mail, but he always informs me if somebody we know is around the corner, a dog just walked through the village, or there’s a cat, bunny or pheasant nearby (by “nearby” I mean distance on Fred’s sniffing terms – it covers miles…) And both are definitely aware of food smells and do react to any emotional and hormone-related changes in us.

We know that dogs rely on their sense of smell and hearing more than vision. Does it mean that even my chaps, whilst being canines, would actually see the world around us as two completely different environments? The geek in me keeps playing with this idea a lot. 

But is it exactly that makes a dog’s nose so unique?

It has about 250 million receptors responsible for detecting scents. Humans only have 5 million. We are pretty basic.

Dogs can bond with their littermates and humans through scent and detest strangers and non-litter pups because of it. In a study a dog was presented with 5 different scents including his own, a familiar human, a strange human, a familiar dog and a strange dog. Only the scent of the familiar human triggered the response in the brain area responsible for positive emotions, rewards and “romantic interactions”. In other words, the pups knew who is responsible for the biscuits. 

Even more fascinating, dogs can differentiate between two identical twins if the twins were fed different diets or raised in different environments.

If a teaspoon of sugar was dissolved in two Olympic-sized swimming pools, dogs would be able to smell it. 

Dog’s ability to sniff is breed-dependent. In a 1965 experiment by Scott and Fuller, a mouse was left in an acre-sized field. Beagles located it within a minute. A fox terrier took 15. A Scotty literally stood by the mouse and still failed to see it. I suspect if a bloodhound (the clear champion of sniffing) was around he’d be by that mouse in seconds.

Cockers, on the other hand, proved themselves as fabulous drug detectors.

Dogs can track a person days after his or her disappearance as long as there’s about 1/1000 of human scent left on the ground. 

They can also confirm or deny if two odours are from the same source, identify separate ingredients in a bowl of soup, or detect substances used in explosions despite the presence of any debris. 

Dogs can smell cancer, covid, changes in blood sugar or body pre-seizure. 

A blind dog will always follow his nose. It is what can help him adjust to his new life and stay tuned in without panicking.

Dogs smell better in humid conditions, and struggle to smell effectively when they feel really hot.

Dogs who frequently eat coconut oil may have a reduced ability to detect scents. 

And canines diagnosed with hyperadrenocorticism, hypothyroidism, or diabetes can also struggle to use their nose as nature intended.


Next time you look at your pup’s snout, take a moment to appreciate its wonders that we will never experience or truly comprehend… And follow your dog’s nose…



Photo credit: Cooper photographed by me

study shows effects of different types of music on dogs / music to help anxious dogs relax / Perfect cocker spaniel (C) Dog blog about English cocker spaniels, dog behaviour, diet, nutrition, health, puppy tips (C) Natalia Ashton
by Natalia

The sound of music. Study shows, our pooches have their preferences too.

I came across a curious study the other day and wanted to share it here. I have mentioned the effect of music on my pups in the past, so it was interesting to see some research into the subject.

The work was conducted in 2020 and examined several previous studied that involved dogs of various breeds and age groups placed in different environments.

The first interesting bit of the study for me was the possible difference between breeds and their physical characteristics suggesting that dogs with pointy ears might perceive any music sounds differently compared to dogs with floppy ears. Which, of course, makes sense, but not something I’d think of immediately.

The second discovery was about the type of music. Several studies showed that dogs preferred classical music to rock or pop music. The dogs exposed to the classical music began acting more calm, seemed more relaxed and less prone to barking, and their heart rate appeared reduced.

On the other hand, rock music increased excitement, became more vocal and showed increased in stress hormone levels.

Does it mean, we could use some soft classical music as another way to reduce anxiety and stress in our dogs? Absolutely. Just bear in mind that you may need to change your play list every 5-7 days to maintain the positive effects.

I guess it’s time for a drink and some Chopin now.

Signs how to tell if a dog is happy, sad or stressed / dog body language / English cocker spaniel blog / Perfect cocker spaniel (C) Beyond the Doughnut / tips, advice on spaniel grooming, nutrition, diet, care, puppy tips (C) Natalia Ashton
by Natalia

How to tell if your dog is happy or sad & ways of bringing joy into their lives

When we know that our dogs are happy, we feel happier too. Even though we don’t speak the same language, dogs have plenty of signs and ways to express their feelings to us. We just need to read them.

A happy dog has a soft dreamy gaze and relaxed eyelids, his lips are loose, the forehead is wrinkle-free, his body is completely relaxed, the ears are floppy and the tail is raised to the mid-level and wagging, often so much that their entire behind seems to be wiggling and dancing.

A happy dog will seek engagement with you by greeting you with great enthusiasm, initiating fun time, play bowing or bringing a toy.

They will also enjoy their walks and meal times. And blissfully snooze for hours often stretching out on their backs to take most of your sofa.

And what about a stressed dog? Surprisingly, one of the first signs is an exaggerated yawn. A stressed pooch will have tension in his body, try to avoid eye contact, have enlarged pupils, raised eyebrows or tension in his forehead and ears, which he is likely to keep pulled back or erected and pointy (depending on a breed and situation).

The tail of a stressed dog may look limp and low.

Other signs include lip licking (especially if the stress is caused by fear), drooling, tight mouth, tensed body that may start trembling (some dogs also like to “shake it off” to release any tension), inability to settle, scratching, panting, vocalisation and reactivity to any sign of movement or any sound however minor.

They may struggle to relax or fall asleep. The changes in stress hormone levels can alter dogs’ appetite and ability to digest and utilise nutrients – some dogs refuse their food completely, others may develop odd eating habits.

Stressed dogs may start to destroy the furniture or rip out carpets as their way to relieve stress through chewing, others may suddenly forget their house training habits and urinate or defecate at home instead.

How to keep your pooch happy?

Feed your dog a complete balanced diet, so his body gets all the nutrients it needs for the happy brain.

Stick to a schedule, especially if your dog is prone to anxiety.

Choose activities that suit your dog’s age to avoid overstimulation.

Have at least one walk a day and allow your pooch to run and exercise depending on his age and physical abilities.

Visit new places, especially if your dog is an adventurer and enjoys these activities.

Move to the country. According to the 2020 study published in Scientific Reports, urban dogs were more fearful and stressed than the dogs living in more natural areas

Let your dog sniff! Sniffing is such a wonderful stress relief for all dogs. It helps them to relax yet keeps the brain happily stimulated.

Use mental stimulation games – anything from sprinkling a handful of kibble in the grass for the dog to find to using puzzle toys to taking a few agility lessons. Dogs love to learn, so let them do it! Learning and exploring in a safe environment plus plenty of praise helps a dog to build his confidence and feel positive towards changing environments and situations. Remember to use positive reward-based methods of training – not punishment of any kind.

Let your pooch enjoy a safe chew or a stuffed toy – licking and chewing are really relaxing.

Don’t skip on annual vet checks and preventative treatments. A healthy pooch is a happy pooch!

Spent some quality time with your dog every day – playing, cuddling, walking – anything that makes both of you happy.

Give your dog a massage. Many canines enjoy these touches and find them extremely relaxing.

Play a few tunes that dogs find relaxing. A study published in January 2020 showed that classical music has a calming effect on dogs, particularly those in stressful environments

Learn your dog’s habits – not every dog likes to be touched by strangers, some would rather share their time with people than dogs, others would prefer to avoid certain pooches or places.

Stay happy. Several studies pointed out that dogs synchronise their stress hormone levels with the ones of their owners (also known as emotional contagion), especially if you suffer from the long-term stress.