The dog's sense of smell is completely different from that of humans, so it's no wonder we have different tastes when deciding which fragrances we find pleasant and which aromas we consider unbearable. For us, the smell that urine and feces give off are part of the aromas that most reject us, however for dogs they are smells that provide information of great interest to them.
Many of the odors that dogs hate are found in our home and we even carry them with us, producing in our furry partner discomfort in the nose and an unpleasant situation. If you want to know them and find out what are the smells that scare dogs away, keep reading this article on our site and start taking steps to improve your companion's quality of life.
The dog's nose
Why is the dog's sense of smell more developed than that of humans? Smell is the most developed sense of dogs, having between 150 and 300 million olfactory cells, figures that compared with the five million cells that humans present they are exorbitant. In this way, they are able to identify each of the particles that are in the air or objects, and determine exactly where the perceived odors are. For this reason, many dogs are used to search for missing persons during a catastrophe, detect narcotic substances or even diagnose diseases such as cancer.
On the other hand, dogs are animals with a great olfactory memory This means that, just as we are capable of recognize a person by their image, dogs recognize us through our smell. For this reason, it is essential to let an unknown dog smell us before proceeding to pet it, or not to hinder two dogs that smell each other.
How does a dog's sense of smell work?
The dog's sense of smell plays a fundamental role in its relationships, both with other animals and with humans, in such a way that its functions go beyond those related to the fact of perceiving an aroma and determine if they like it or not. They use smell as part of chemical communication, which consists of the emission and reception of chemical signals, secreted by one individual and captured by another through the organ of Jacobson or vomeronasal. These chemical signals are nothing more than the so-called pheromones, and depending on the type, the reactions produced between dogs are one or the other.
To understand how the dog's sense of smell works, it is essential to make a small point about the types of pheromones:
- Primer pheromones, such as appeasement pheromones secreted by a mother in order to calm her pups, causing a change physiological in the receiver
- Trigger pheromones, such as sexual ones, that produce an instantaneous change in the receptor.
- Signalling pheromones, such as those secreted by the anal glands, which provide information (gender, last meal…) without the need to cause a reaction.
On the other hand, the dog's sense of smell allows it to identify scents over long distances, such as the scent of prey or a member of its pack. This is so due to the millions of olfactory cells they possess, but also thanks to the olfactory mucosa that lines the back of the nasal cavity and because the brain The dog's is better adapted than ours to receive information gathered by smell. The olfactory mucosa has nerve cells that cause chemical signals, which are converted into electrical currents that reach the brain through the olfactory nerves and are interpreted as smells.
Dog breeds with the best sense of smell
The dog's sense of smell is, in general, highly developed in all breeds, however, it is true that some of them have an even better sense of smell due to their origin and the excessive crossing to reach the current standard. Unfortunately, this cross not only brings with it a better sense of smell, but also a greater predisposition to suffer from genetic and hereditary diseases.
The dog breed with the best sense of smell is the bloodhound, having more olfactory receptors than other canine breeds. Although the breed was created and exploited as a tracking and hunting dog, the truth is that these exceptional olfactory abilities were already present in the first dogs, this being the reason that led to their exploitation for these jobs.
Followed by the bloodhound or Saint Hubertus dog, the bloodhound-type dog breeds, trail and similar, category to which the bloodhound belongs, they are the ones with a more developed sense of smell. However, this does not mean that other dog breeds cannot enter the top dogs with the best sense of smell. So, among all of them, these are the dog breeds with the best sense of smell:
- Basset hound.
- Beagle.
- German shepherd.
- Labrador.
- Belgian shepherd malinois.
Having such a sensitive sense of smell, it is not surprising that dogs are excited every time they go outside, and it is that a whole world of smells is opened up to them that they perceive and want to discover. Likewise, it should not surprise us that they are reluctant to certain aromas that are pleasant for us, since they receive them with greater intensity. So that you know which are the odors that dogs hate, here is a complete list.
Citrus smell, hateful to dogs
The smell of citrus fruits is one of the aromas most appreciated by us, and its fragrance is capable of lasting for hours in our home. For this reason, we tend to buy products that carry them and fill each of the spaces with them in order to offer a scent that lasts and gives us a feeling of freshness. However, our furry companions differ, this being one of the smells dogs hate most
Remember that dogs have a sense of smell 40 times more developed than us. In this way, if the smell of citrus is already intense for you, imagine how your dog should perceive it. It is such a strong aroma that it can reach causing irritation in the respiratory tract of the animal, producing an uncomfortable and unbearable sensation.
Citrus fruits like lemon, orange or grapefruit give off odors that dogs can't stand, but the fragrances they hate the most are those provided by essential oilsof this type of fruit. The oils are concentrated products that emit a much more intense odor than the fruit itself and, therefore, the animal perceives an even stronger odor than that of the food. In this way, if you intend to use a citrus scent to prevent your dog from urinating in a certain area of the home, we recommend that you use natural fruits and avoid putting oils within their reach. The purpose of this technique is to prevent the animal from approaching that specific space, not to offer it an unpleasant coexistence.
The aroma of citrus fruits is one of the most effective scents that repels dogs, but we must always use it to improve and never to punish or mistreat stray dogs. If you want to get rid of a homeless dog, the most responsible thing to do is to call the nearest protector so that she can pick him up and offer him shelter, food, water and care.
Vinegar, unpleasant for the dog
Vinegar is another of the home remedies to prevent dogs from urinating in the house because it is also part of the odors they hate. As with citrus fruits, the aroma given off by this product is so strong that It is unbearable for dogs However, apple cider vinegar in particular provides great benefits for dogs, so depriving them 100% of it is also not advisable. We must learn to use it and know how often to apply it so that it is as least annoying as possible for the animal.
Apple cider vinegar is highly effective in preventing the dog from smelling bad. However, since it is one of the odors that dogs hate the most, we must mix it with their usual shampoo and thus reduce its fragrance. Do not apply this solution to the head area and make sure to rinse it well.
And if what you want is to use vinegar to prevent other dogs from urinating on the front of your house, for example, you should know that being one of the odors that drives dogs away, it is really effective for it and nothing harmful.
Chili or chili, well away from the dog
The chili pepper is a food that owes its hotness to a series of natural chemical compounds called capsaicinoids, a composition that It produces a very unpleasant odor for dogs. So much so, that smelling this food directly can cause irritation of the respiratory tract, itchy nose and constant sneezing in the animal. For this reason, it is essential to know the human foods that are prohibited for dogs and prevent them from approaching them. In this way, in addition to being one of the repellent odors for dogs, it is one of the least recommended foods due to its effects.
Alcohol, in all its versions
antiseptic alcohol has a smell that dogs can't stand, so applying it to their skin is totally inadvisable. In case of a wound, it is best to clean it only with water and go to the vet so that he can tell us how to disinfect it. If we find ourselves at a time when we cannot go to a specialist, the ideal is to consult the following article in which we indicate how to make natural disinfectant for dogs and apply it following the instructions.
Depending on the degrees that the alcohol contains, it will be more or less annoying for the animal. However, that does not mean that the alcohol gel used as an antibacterial does not involve one of the odors that dogs hate, since their sensitive sense of smell is also capable of detecting it and determining that it does not like it.
On the other hand, alcoholic beverages are also unpleasant for dogs, especially those with a higher alcohol content.
Nail polish, simply unbearable
Although many people find the smell of nail polish to be pleasant, dogs hate it. Being made up of such a large number of chemical compounds, among which formaldehyde, nitrocellulose, isopropyl alcohol (remember that they also hate this smell) and acetate stand out, the fragrance produced by enamels is really unpleasant for dogs, producing a whole series of sneezing and itchy nose
On the other hand, the so-called nail polish removers, products manufactured to remove nail varnish, are also part of the list of odors that dogs hate due to their chemical compounds, with acetone being the most annoying for them. Thus, we recommend opting for acetone-free nail polish remover and applying all these cosmetic products away from dogs.
Chlorine, ammonia and other cleaning products
We love cleaning products with fresh, intense and perfumed scents, and we buy them forgetting that our dogs hate them. Both chlorine and ammonia are products that not only give off strong odors that dogs hate, but also are highly harmful to them. Direct inhalation can cause irritation of the respiratory tract and esophagus. In addition, ammonia produces an aroma very similar to that given off by urine for dogs, so they can relate it to the presence of another animal in the home and stay alert.
Although the products mentioned are the most annoying for dogs, all cleaning products with strong odors, such as bleach, are really unpleasant odors for them. Also, remember that they hate citrus aromas, so all products with these fragrances will cause rejection in your furry companion. Try to clean the house while another family member walks the dog to avoid making this task an unpleasant experience for him.
Mothballs, a smell they hate and can have serious consequences
Naphthalene is generally used as a pesticide due to its degree of toxicity. Precisely the chemical compounds that form it to be such a toxic product, not only produce an unpleasant odor for the dog but also make it one of the things that can kill your dog The ingestion of a single ball can cause serious damage to the liver and central nervous system of the animal, causing vomiting, diarrhea and seizures. Consumption of more than one can lead to death.
Again, this is one of the repellent odors for dogs that we must avoid at all costs, not only because of the rejection caused by its aroma, but also because of the serious effects it can have on their he alth.
Perfumes, without exception
Have you ever noticed that after putting on perfume and trying to hug your dog, he rejects you? If you don't understand why he does it, here's the answer! Your faithful companion hates the smell that perfumes give off, without exception. As they are products made with countless chemical compounds, the aromas they give off are unbearable for them. However, the reason that leads perfumes to become one of the smells that dogs hate is not only this, and it is that the same reason that leads us to adore them generates the opposite effect. In this way, just as we perceive as pleasant the fact of providing a different scent to our skin, dogs hate it because it acts as a substitute for our body odor Remember that dogs recognize us by our smell, if we mask it with a different one, it is not surprising that they hate that unpleasant fragrance that prevents them from identifying us.
And perfumes for dogs? Yes, they also result in smells that they can't stand. However, and as long as they are of quality, since they are products manufactured for them, they are not harmful and we can apply them in moderation. This means that it is not recommended to perfume the animal every day, the amount of perfume that your dog groomer applies to it during your visit to the beauty center will suffice.
Does your dog hate other smells?
Like humans, animals have their own taste and therefore you may not find all of the above odors unpleasant. It is not an exact science, and it may happen that one dog is able to tolerate the aroma that an orange gives off, while another completely rejects it. Especially with the smell of citrus, what animals tend to hate are the essential oils of lemon, orange, grapefruit, etc., more than the fruit itself. If you look closely, the odors that dogs can't stand, in general, are usually those given off by chemical products, created by human beings, rather than by natural elements like food. In this way, if your furry companion hates a scent that is not on this list, don't hesitate and leave your comment!
