There are so many things to love about dogs. They're loyal, cuddly, and always happy to see us. But what many people don't know is that dogs have some pretty amazing capabilities.

The way we experience the world is so different from dogs. In this post, we'll explore how wildly different a dog’s experience of the world is thanks to their powerful sense organs. Read on to gain an alternative perspective on what makes your furry friend(s) awesome!

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Efficient at Odor Detection

The most dominant sense for dogs is their noses.  With 300 million receptors, dogs are sniff oriented.  Dogs excel at tracking food, people and even diseases!  Sniffing for dogs is calming and relaxing, (Cristina and Aurélien Budzinski, Dog Field Study) which is why you should indulge your dog with extra time to smell the ground around them.

Superior Hearing Capabilities

Capable of hearing sounds that we do not, such as dog whistles and critter squeaks, your dog’s hearing ranges from 40hz up to 40,000hz.  It’s best to think twice before you dismiss their “woof” with “sshh, there’s nothing there” response.

Masters of Observation

While people are able to see far more colors and detail than dogs, dogs have better peripheral vision and are excellent at catching movement in low light.  Characteristics aside, its advantage canine; after all, dogs have used their powers of observation to become their humans’ best friends, sharing our homes and often our food.  

Nom, Nom

Dogs tend to be the opposite of fussy, expressing a ‘get in my belly’ attitude when it comes to food.  With just 1700 taste buds compared to our 9000 plus taste buds, a dog eats by crushing and swallowing not by chewing.  While dogs are able to distinguish between sweet, sour, bitter and salty, their palates are unsophisticated compared to people.  Despite the fewer number of taste buds, unlike humans, dogs uniquely possess the ability to taste water.

An Environmental Antenna

While dogs touch with their paws, a comparison to our hands is not the same.  Our hands are very sensitive given all the nerve endings in our fingers, and for this same purpose dogs have whiskers.  Whiskers help dogs understand the fine details that their sight does not such as size and speed.