Why do bloodhounds smell so well

A human's olfactory membrane is about the size of a postage stamp and contains 5 million receptors. A large dog like a German Shepherd, meanwhile, has a larger membrane and about million receptors.

The scent hounds, a group of dogs that includes foxhounds, beagles, catahoulas, blood hounds and other breeds, blow the rest of the pooches and their masters out of the water. These dogs have wide, deep nasal cavities that can accommodate sizable olfactory membranes and large numbers of odor-detecting cells.

The little beagle, often no more than half the size of a German Shepherd, has the same number of olfactory receptors as the larger dog. What does it all mean? Bloodhounds rely on their incredibly advanced sense of smell, while humans often rely on their sense of sight for information.

Think you've got a super-sniffer? Put your nose to the test in a blindfolded challenge. Can you correctly identify what's inside the mystery bags using nothing but your nose? We're glad you liked this Wonder, Devin! We think so, too, Devin! We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature.

Thanks for your patience. Drag a word to its definition. Want to add a little wonder to your website? Help spread the wonder of families learning together. We sent you SMS, for complete subscription please reply. Follow Twitter Instagram Facebook. What makes bloodhounds good detectives? How powerful is a bloodhound's sense of smell? How does a bloodhound track a missing person? Tags: See All Tags bloodhound , breed , cavity , nasal , odor , prey , scent , track.

Wonder What's Next? Try It Out Bloodhounds rely on their incredibly advanced sense of smell, while humans often rely on their sense of sight for information. Did you get it? Test your knowledge. Wonder Words talent sniffer bloodhound breed tracker prey scent article nasal cavity odor image trail signature droopy Take the Wonder Word Challenge. Join the Discussion. Derek Dewitt Nov 27, One of the most popular small dog breeds, the Dachshund is a devoted and lively little pup.

Do some dog breeds have a better sense of smell than others? Some dog breeds have considerably more sensitive noses than others. Dogs have a remarkable ability to detect and discriminate scents. This allows us to use dogs for many tasks, such as detecting drugs, explosives, landmines, agricultural products, and even more esoteric things, such as bedbugs or termites. Meet the bloodhound. Bloodhounds have a very, very good sense of smell.

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