The Science Of What The Dog Knows

These days, when I watch a good working dog hone in on scent — whether it’s a dog locating the scent of human remains or trailing someone who is still alive — I can see him trace its passage in the air until he’s drawn a clear picture with his nose. An experienced dog can distinguish the difference between scent that has lifted in the heat of the day, settled down in the ridges of rough grass, or been pulled hard toward the rushing water of a creek.



I work scent also, though I don’t run as fast or as hard. I can recog~nize urine in the muggy concrete stairwell of a parking garage, mildew liberated from under sheaves of rotted leaves, or the fishy musk of my German shepherd after a swim in the local river in August.



I knew, even before I started researching dogs’ noses in a sustained manner, that they were much better than humans’. My cadaver dog, Solo, has a much better nose than mine, and not just for locating human remains. My food-loving husband, David, can use a pair of scissors on a package of vacuum-sealed hanger steak in the kitchen, and the silent exhalation of bloody air will awaken Solo and bring him running from another area of the house.



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The Science Of What The Dog Knows

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