For centuries, dogs have been known for their incredible sense of smell, hearing, and sight. These senses help dogs in a variety of ways, from helping them hunt and track prey to alerting their owners of danger.

In this article, we take a closer look at a dog’s super senses and how they work.

Super Sense of Smell

A dog’s sense of smell is easily one of their most impressive abilities. They have up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their nose, compared to the 6 million that humans have.

This allows them to detect scents that are far beyond our capabilities.

Dogs are used to assist law enforcement agencies in tracking suspects or detecting drugs. They can also detect explosives, cancer, and other diseases just by sniffing a person’s breath or urine.

This ability to smell a person’s illness is because of the volatile organic compounds that are expelled from the body when it’s sick.

Dogs’ noses are far more sophisticated than ours. They can analyze a scent in parts per trillion, while we can only detect a scent in parts per billion.

Dogs also have a unique organ called the vomeronasal organ, or Jacobson’s organ, that allows them to detect pheromones from other animals.

Super Sense of Hearing

Dogs have an excellent sense of hearing, which is why they are often used as watchdogs. They have a wide range of sound frequencies that they can hear, and their ears are designed to pick up even the softest sounds.

Dogs can hear sounds up to four times farther than humans can. They can also distinguish between different types of sounds and identify where they’re coming from.

This ability is essential for hunting because it allows dogs to locate prey even when it’s hidden.

The downside to a dog’s super sense of hearing is that loud noises can be very uncomfortable for them. Fireworks, thunder, and other loud sounds can be frightening and distressing for dogs.

Super Sense of Sight

Dogs have excellent vision, although it’s not quite as developed as their sense of hearing and smell. They have a wider range of peripheral vision than humans, meaning they can see objects to the sides of them without turning their head.

Dogs also have better night vision than us. They have a larger pupil that allows more light into the eye, as well as a special membrane called the tapetum lucidum that reflects light back through the retina.

This gives them better vision in low-light conditions and allows them to see in the dark.

Super Sense of Touch

While not quite as impressive as their other senses, dogs also have a heightened sense of touch. They are incredibly sensitive to touch and can feel even the slightest vibrations.

This ability is why they make excellent service animals, as they can help people with disabilities by alerting them to sounds or other stimuli.

Dogs also use their sense of touch for communication. They use body language, including wagging their tail and making eye contact, to communicate with other dogs and with humans.

They can also use their sense of touch to detect changes in temperature, which helps them regulate their body temperature.

Super Sense of Taste

Dogs have a good sense of taste, although it’s not as well-developed as their other senses. They have fewer taste buds than humans, meaning they can’t taste as many flavors.

However, dogs do have a preference for certain flavors. They have a sweet tooth and enjoy foods that contain sugar. They also have a preference for meaty flavors and tend to enjoy foods that are high in protein.

Super Sense of Time

While not a traditional sense, dogs do have a unique sense of time. They can sense time passing and have an internal clock that helps them keep track of time.

This is why they often wait by the door or get excited around mealtime- their internal clock tells them it’s time for a specific activity.

Dogs can also sense when their owners are about to come home, even if it’s at a different time than usual. This is because they can detect subtle changes in the environment, such as sounds and smells, that indicate their owner is coming home.

Super Sense of Compassion

Finally, dogs have a unique sense of compassion that allows them to detect when their owners are upset or stressed. They are incredibly intuitive and can pick up on subtle changes in body language and tone of voice.

Many dogs will comfort their owners when they’re upset, either by nuzzling them or curling up next to them. They can also sense when their owner is in danger and will protect them by barking and alerting them to the danger.

In Conclusion

Dogs’ super senses are truly impressive and allow them to do things that humans can’t. Their sense of smell, hearing, and sight are especially advanced and help them navigate the world around them.

Their senses of taste, touch, time, and compassion also play an important role in their lives.

As pet owners, it’s important to understand our dogs’ super senses and appreciate them for the incredible animals that they are.