Dogs may be our best friends, but they're very different from us. Understanding how your dog interacts with his environment is important to understanding how best to communicate with him. To help you, the following article looks at smell, sight, sound, taste and touch — from your dog's perspective.
Smell: All dogs have a very well developed sense of smell. In fact, your dog's nose is about as sensitive as your eyes when it comes to distinguishing between two similar individuals.
Smell is also one of your dog's most important means of communication. There are two ways in which your dog may communicate through smell. First, he may deposit scents — in feces, urine or glandular secretions — in his environment for other dogs to discover. Secondly, your dog communicates a lot to other dogs through his own personal smell.
Scents in the air and those on the ground can provide your dog with a wealth of information about the comings and goings in your neighborhood, and may be considered the canine equivalent of the local daily newspaper. An example is the scent posts left on the ground after a dog has urinated. When a dog urinates he is doing more than emptying his bladder. If you have a male dog you are probably aware of his desire to lift his leg frequently and deposit small quantities of urine at numerous locations. This is one of the ways your dog marks his territory and advertises his presence. By raising his leg to pass urine, his scent is deposited at nose level. Some female dogs may also raise one hind leg when urinating, and some will perform an acrobatic handstand by raising both
hind legs off the ground in order to leave urine against a wall or other vertical object.
Both male and female dogs will investigate the scent marks left by other dogs and may urinate over the existing scent mark with their own urine. When your dog behaves in this way he is not just marking his territory — it's likely that he feels more comfortable in his surroundings when he smells his own, familiar scent.
General body odors are also an important means of communication between dogs. The scent is produced by the secretions of glands around the body — particularly around the face, the anal region and the tail. This is why when unfamiliar dogs meet, they will investigate each other by sniffing, particularly the head and anal region.
Sight: Although they can see well in the distance — which is useful when hunting — most dogs are not able to focus on objects which are closer than about 10 inches. They are able to distinguish between colors — although these may appear muted to your dog — and your dog will see more clearly than you do in dim light.
Although your dog doesn't see a lot of detail he is very sensitive to movement. For example, a stationary object may not be noticed from a distance but your dog will be able to detect it as soon as it moves.
Sound: Your dog can hear sounds over a wider range of frequencies and a greater distance than you can. This is why some dogs may find high-pitched noises — such as those emitted by the vacuum cleaner and other household appliances — uncomfortable or even painful. Hearing ability is superior in breeds with erect ears, which act as amplifiers for incoming sounds, and in those which can swivel their ears in the direction of the sound.
Taste: Your dog determines the particular foods he prefers to eat just like you do. Along with smell, your dog will make his decision based on taste. Although some dogs appear to be largely indiscriminate in their choice of food, others — especially dogs of the smallest and the largest breeds — can be fussy eaters. Most dogs prefer a meat to a cereal-based diet although they may prefer one type, such as beef, over another. They enjoy a wide range of tastes and are often partial to sweet foods, as well as foods with a salty or sharp taste.
Touch: Just like you, your dog is sensitive to temperature and pain, and will respond with pleasure to a friendly touch. Body sensitivity varies among dogs, but most enjoy being stroked around the head, chest and back. However, many are defensive about being touched around their tail and rump, or on their feet.
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