August 25th, 2009
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Of all the places dogs love to sniff, the snout of another dog is by far the least offensive. Just the thought of it makes their mouths water. That’s because dogs pick up more than halitosis in single sniff.
A new study in the journal Animal Behaviour suggests that by smelling the breath of other dogs, canines learn where to find food. And as it turns out, dogs aren’t the only mammals that use scents or sounds to direct others to food. Chimpanzees tap fellow monkeys on the shoulder or shoot them the evil eye to lead them to goodies (or away, if they don’t want to share). Even rats, chickens, gerbils and honeybees spread the word when chow’s on. Read details about the study at New Scientist. Woof Report is a free weekday email newsletter with pup-perfect dog care tips, news, products & more! Sign up at www.woofreport.com or become a Facebook Fan. |
Very interesting. Now I know how my dogs find stinky stuff to chew and roll on at the park!
Daniela Caride