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Amazing Power Of A Dogs Sense Of Smell
from:The canine nose has something like twenty times as many primary receptor cells as the human nose. How all of this works to detect odors is one of the great scientific wonders of the world. Studies in a number of species have found that different regions of the mucous lining within the nose have different chemical properties, more readily absorbing chemicals of one particular molecular shape or another, or preferentially absorbing in one region chemicals that are more water soluble and in another chemicals that are more fat soluble.
The ability of the nose to make precise chemical distinctions is truly extraordinary. Some pairs of chemicals that exist in nature are identical in every way they are made up of exactly the same elements, joined together in exactly the same three dimensional sequence except that one is the three dimensional mirror image of the other. Yet such 'stereoisomers' frequently have a dramatically different odor, indicating that the nose can sort them out by their complex shape alone. The molecule carvone, for example, has the odor of caraway in one of its stereoisomers, the odor of oil of spearmint in its mirror image form.
Measurements of the acuity of the dog's nose suggest that the dog is many times more sensitive than man to the presence of minute quantities of odor molecules wafting in the air, but the data are all over the map. This is probably in part because the threshold for detecting different chemicals no doubt varies dramatically according to the particular chemical involved. Some comparative studies have found that dogs can detect certain organic chemicals at concentrations a hundred times less than people are able to; for other compounds the dog's edge may be a factor of a million or more. In police and security work, dogs can detect the odor from natural gas leaks, concealed narcotics, explosives, and currency, all at levels well below the threshold at which humans are aware of the odor.
In controlled studies dogs could detect human scent on a glass slide that had been lightly fingerprinted and then left outdoors for as much as two weeks, or indoors for as much as a month; they could pick which of six identical steel tubes had been held in the hands of a person for no more than five seconds; they could distinguish between T shirts worn by two identical twins who ate different foods, or by two nonidentical twins who lived in exactly the same environment and ate exactly the same foods.
More than such a remarkable sensitivity to trace odors, it is the ability to pick out particular odors of interest from a welter of competing smells and to match and distinguish them that is the dog's most impressive olfactory feat. This ability is surely a reflection of the dog's superior olfactory computing powers, for it requires not just smelling but analyzing. Dogs have no innate interest in the smell of people, narcotics, or hundred dollar bills; but if trained repeatedly to focus on certain categories of smells, they can perform mind boggling feats of cross matching.
Understanding Your Dogs Hearing
Dogs hear a lot better than people do, partly because their ears are incredibly mobile They have 15 different muscles that can move the ears in all directions This helps them detect and understand sounds no matter where theyand#39;re coming from Head cocking is a tool they use to hear clearly Dogs shouldnand#39;t be doing it all the time, however When they are, they may need some extra help to hear Spea.....More on Doglearningpsychologyonline
Sending Your Dog Mixed Messages
Dog behavior problems are frequently the result of unclear communication The owner may not even be aware that the messages he is sending to the dog are confusing The owner of a well trained Standard Poodle was unaware of her confusing messages during an epic long session of grooming The Poodle tired and attempted to sit The owner, wanting the dog to remain standing, yelled and#39;Donand#39;t sitand#39; The dog.....More on Doglearningpsychologyonline
How Wolf Behavior Has Slowly Disappeared Within Dogs
Studies of free ranging dogs have documented the ways in which wolf behavior has been attenuated or extinguished over the course of evolution In cities and villages, dogs that wander freely generally do not form packs, and while each dog has an identifiable home range that he sticks to, these ranges overlap almost completely with those of other dogs Free ranging dogs do engage in wolf like.....More on Doglearningpsychologyonline
Understanding Why Dogs Roll Around In The Dirtiest Of Things
No one really knows for sure why dogs love to roll in stinky things, but people who study animal behavior have some pretty good idea Some experts believe that dogs like to mark themselves with their territory A dog wearing a bit of woodchuck carcass or horse poop on his neck and shoulders is a lot like a man wearing a big gold chain around his neck It says something about him and where he lives.....More on Doglearningpsychologyonline
The Importance Of Understanding Dog Behavior
In order to understand dog behavior, you must first consider the effects of the human contact that occurs from the day the domestic puppy is born until the end of his life These interactions are strong catalysts that add to the inherent differences between the wolf and dog Whereas the dog easily weaves into the family and social structure of humans, the wolf has failed to do so The integr.....More on Doglearningpsychologyonline
The Dog Wolf Connection
Many of the wolf like social behaviors of the dog are not things that endear them to us, and many have lost their original social purpose to the dog as well They are appendages that evolution hasnand#39;t managed to shake yet Like the human appendix, they range from merely useless to downright awkward The elaborate eliminatory patterns of the dog are a source of puzzlement and grief to many a do.....More on Doglearningpsychologyonline
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