What Your Dog Really Sees, Smells and Hears
updated: October 29, 2025
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.
Something that makes our dogs so cool and interesting are their incredible senses. From catching a scent of a missing person to hearing sounds we couldn't fathom, how your dog experiences the world is entirely different than your own perspective. Here are five fascinating facts about the incredible senses of our furry friends.
✌🏽❤️🐶
Dog Senses at a Glance
Smell: A dog's nose is 40 times more powerful than a human's, containing 300 million scent receptors.
Hearing: Dogs can hear a range of sounds four times wider than humans (up to 40,000 hertz).
Sight: Dogs see blue and yellow (not the full spectrum) but have wider peripheral vision and excellent ability to detect movement in low light.
Taste: Dogs have fewer taste buds than humans, but they are one of the few species known to taste water.
Touch: A dog's whiskers are a crucial sense organ, detecting airflow and surrounding objects without physical contact
Why Your Dog’s Sense of Smell is Vital
When it comes to your dog’s sense of smell they are scent-sational! With 300 million scent receptors and the part of their brain dedicated to analyzing smells a dog’s nose is 40 times more powerful than yours. (And you thought you were good at tasting different flavor in wine!) A highly trained dog can find missing people, identify diseases like cancer, diabetes, covid and even stop contraband at the borders.
But smell is important to all dogs, not just highly trained ones. Sniffing is for all dogs! Scientists Cristina and Aurélien Budzinski, looked at the physiological benefits of sniffing. They found that long sniffs slows down a dog's heart rate (Dog Field Study), just like when we take deep breaths. Sniffing is good for their health, so indulge your dog with extra time on walks to smell the roses or rather the ground, the curb, and the hydrant.
Understanding Your Dog’s Superior Hearing Ability
A dog’s incredible sense of hearing enables them to hear sounds which range from 40 hertz (hz) up to 40, 000 hz. “Not only can your dog hear everything you can hear, but dogs can hear at 75 feet what we hear at 20 feet,” Melissa MceCue-McGrath, Brain and Behavior Cases -Insights on Behavior Cases. That's 4x more than what we can hear! So rather than quickly dismiss your dog for issuing a warning bark for something you can’t see, give them hearty thanks in appreciation for their keen sense and dedication to keeping your property and you safe.
As a dog mom to one dog with floppy and one dog with erect ears, I can attest that those with erect ears are particularly sensitive to noises. All those herding dog guardians know just what I mean!
What Your Dog Sees: Color, Movement and More
Our dogs have two cones in their eyes unlike us that have three cones making sight a key difference between our species. While people can see far more colors and detail than a dog it doesn’t mean your dog can’t see color - they can see blue, yellow and shades of grey. Every one will think you have a really smart dog if you teach them dog to differentiate between yellow and blue objects. Its fairly easy to do and is guaranteed to wow friends and family.
Another significant difference in dog sight is their wider peripheral vision and ability to catch movement in low light. It's no wonder why my Ginger never misses when catching a treat and is an excellent critter hunter.
Examining Your Dog’s Special Sense of Taste
Most 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. However much like us, our dogs use their noses to determine whether something is worth tasting. That's why smelly treats make great rewards for training.
Surprisingly, dogs can taste water - unlike humans. My dog Chip was refused to drink tap water in Tampa, but now he happily laps up the taper water in Bergen County. It's unclear if it was Chip's sense of smell or taste buds that aided in his decision, but I must agree - Tampa tap water just didn't taste right.
The Role of Whiskers in Your Dog’s Sense of Touch
Probably the least relatable sense between dogs and humans is a dog’s sense of touch. This is because dogs don’t pick things up with their paws like we do with our hands. It’s the dog’s whiskers that help them navigate and understand their surrounding environment.
Whiskers are so sensitive they provide a dog with information about size and speed of objects based on airflow - all without ever actually coming into contact with the thing. Can you imagine being able to cross the street with your eyes closed, relying solely on your sense of touch? A dog's remarkable sensory skills are truly unfathomable.
Conclusion
Although we share the same 5 senses as our canine companions, sight, sound, smell, touch and taste are uniquely different for humans and dogs. Thinking about those differences, embracing them and celebrating them gives all of us an alternative perspective and better understanding our best four-legged friends.
FAQ Dog Senses
-
Dogs can see color. They have two color cones in their eyes, allowing them to perceive blue, yellow, and shades of grey. They cannot see the full spectrum of colors that people do.
-
Scientists have found that taking long sniffs slows down a dog’s heart rate, providing a calming, physiological benefit like when humans take deep breaths. Allowing not just reactive dogs but every dog time to sniff on walks is important for their well-being.
-
No! Whiskers function as the dog's primary sense of touch for understanding their environment. They are highly sensitive and can detect subtle changes in airflow to gather information about the size, speed, and location of nearby objects.
Like this article? Check these useful resources out 👇🏼
🎥 Dogs and the Significance of Choice
🐕 Dog Training: Book Your Initial Consult
