VetriScience Blog

Can You See With Your Nose? Your Dog Can!

Written by VetriScience | February 03, 2015

We ran across this clever video that explains exactly why your dog's nose is so much more effective than our own methods, and couldn't help but share!

Whether you attribute the natural talent to stereo smelling or the shapes of their noses, there's no doubt: for our pups, the nose really does know.

 

 

 

In the world of pet families, there are a lot of questions. Why does my dog eat my underwear? Why does my cat lick plastic bags? Where does my cat bury his kills? And of course: why is my dog’s nose shaped like that, anyway?

The answer to the last one is actually pretty simple.

You know how the nose has large, round nostrils in the center that thin out into small flaps toward the outside of the nose? That shape is a design that helps dogs always get a fresh breath.

On the inhale, a dog takes air in through those large nostrils, filtering out thousands of scents. On the exhale, the nostrils shut more and air is pushed out through the side flaps – so the round part stays clean and ready to pull out all the nuances of the next inhale's air.

Pretty brilliant functionality, if you ask us!