A dog’s nose has scent receptors that are responsible for receiving and decoding various smells. They have a very keen sense of smell; in fact, it’s over forty to a million times more sensitive than that of humans, depending on the breed. The shape of a dog’s nose will also have a big say in how scents are perceived, while the mucus membranes that line the nose help collect and retain scent molecules.

The dog’s olfactory prowess is also attributed to the fact that over a third of their brain is responsible for processing and decoding smells. Dogs also have the “Jacobson’s Organ” located within the roof of their mouths, which functions to receive and decipher odorless pheromones.

A dog’s sense of smell helps him learn more about the world around him; it allows him to gather and retain sensory memories of places that a dog has been to. The sensory information that a dog gathers can help him find his way home even if he has strayed quite a considerable distance from home.

Ask your Ocean Springs, MS vet regarding important pet issues. You can get more information here.