Why Do Dogs Smell So Well?

A dog's sense of smell is so keen that they are even given jobs to utilize their gift! Some jobs include detecting diseases and infections, assisting police, identifying criminals, and taking part in rescue missions. They have up to 100,000x heightened ability to detect odors compared to humans. Why do canines smell so well and what unique aspects of their physiology enable them to do so? 

Dogs have an impressive number of receptors, almost 394 million more than humans do! Receptors are neurons that extend into mucus in the nose and the part of a dog’s brain that analyzes smells is around 40x greater than that of humans. 

The two-chamber process of a dog’s olfactory system slows down the rate at which air enters the nose and allows them to expel old scents while breathing in new ones. 

The vomeronasal organ identifies pheromones and forms a second olfactory system that dogs depend on.