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Being a Dog, by Alexandra Horowitz
I recently listened to this audiobook, and would definitely recommend it. While a chunk of the book focuses on the dog’s amazing scenting ability, Horowitz also talks about OUR sniffer skills, or lack thereof.
We humans, for the most part, have unlearned the habit of smelling, but we can actually improve this sense with some focus and practice.
Did you know, for instance, we’re quite capable of telling apart our dogs by their odor, left on separate towels where they rested? She mentioned an experiment where people had an accuracy level of 90% in determining which of their two dogs had rested on each of the towels.
If you have two dogs and a helper, you could even give this a try! Your helper will arrange two similar towels when you’re not around, and then have each dog rest on their own spot for a while. (Alternatively, I’d guess you could just give each dog a thorough rub-down with his own separate towel.) The helper will then lay out the towels for you in a neutral location. Get your nose really close and sniff deeply, just like our dogs do. Confirm your guesses with your helper, and let us know how you did!
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13 Replies
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This is so interesting!
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I’m FASCINATED by this!! I know babies can recognize their mama’s scent – that makes so much sense – but we can tell our dogs’ odor apart!? I have got to try this.
Sidenote – and only this group will understand (I hope) I have a secret LOVE of the scent of my dogs’ feet. Especially when they’ve been out hiking with me. Well, and skunky puppy breath -but who doesn’t love that!?
I’ll be back – I have to go sniff my dogs. ????
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Ha, @catherine …you are so funny, sharing your love of your dogs’ paw-smell. I miss my Tara’s drool on the window pane of my front door still and finding little black tumble weeds from my old Berner. I know those are visual humanized cues of my past dogs, but I swear, I can still smell them individually.
Coincidentally, I always marvel at how often some people wash their dogs or have them groomed because they complain that the dog smells “like a dog”. THEY ARE A DOG! And…You will miss their very individual small long after they’ve gone.
Fascinating…I have to get this audiobook! @virginiad . I have a credit on Audible. I just found the book and purchased it with that credit. I have a very long day ahead of me, in my car, but THANK YOU for the recommendation. I’m going to enjoy it today!????
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????Awesome that you’re able to jump into that audiobook, Paula! And oh, those heart-tug reminders of our angel dogs…???? I totally get that. Teary, just thinking about them!
So far as people having their dogs groomed ????…. I do love it when my girls smell “nice” and their fur is devoid of the doggy textures they revel in, so much. But with Aussies, it’s not a big deal if they aren’t bathed for awhile. When I had a German Shepherd though – whew! They are so stinky! ( I don’t mean to offend, @HeatherAC !) And Labs, too – that oily coat serves a purpose; and you can smell it! (Am I right, @zaneb ?)
I must have passed some kind of extreme dog-nerdism, if I can tell breeds apart by their smells. ????
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LOL, no offense taken. Thankfully, Jade isn’t too stinky…it’s whatever she’s mixed with that must mitigate any stinkiness because the GSDs I work with do have the same tendencies as Labs. I’ve had mostly Labs my whole life…good thing they’re all so cute. ????
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Fact! Glad Jade is less odiferous than some. I grew up with GSDs and omd when they were wet, they were the worst! The goldens always were more tolerable.
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Cool, @bernerlabreclectus . I hope you enjoy it!
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LOL, Catherine! I call them taco toes, and I love that smell!
(Puppy skunk breath, however is another story…)
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OMD – TACO TOES! ????????????
@virginiad this is perfect!
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Very very interesting thanks for sharing! ???? I love putting this in human perspective!
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Iv read the inside of a dog twice and actually watcher her lecture about this book and concept on two different youtube videos. Super interesting work this human does; I remember inside of a dog being incredibly lovely and jam packed with information. I have it on my amazon reading list, yet havent followed up with it.
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What a great audio book! I love that the author is reading it herself. So cool. I am at the part where she talks about the experiment with a dog who the couple said was clairvoyant and KNEW when the owner would arrive home, greeting him at the door. That someone snuck a smelly T-shirt of his into the house, hours after the owner had left for work, and when the guy finally came home the dog was sleeping soundly on the couch!
I think this is amazing and could help those dogs with separation anxiety so much.
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I loved that story, too, @bernerlabreclectus ! ???? Amazing to think it is our fading scent over the course of the day that tips the dog off to our home-coming.
I remember learning a SA protocol by John Rogerson from many years ago. The steps brought the person to the point of eventually exiting the room. And as alone-time increased, he advised putting a scented shirt at the bottom of the door as the final step.
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