Masters of the scent

This deer shot was taken in Victoria, BC several years ago.

We were all sitting quietly in the family room; after a big hike and a play session with a new friend Elsa was baffed.  Luke was curled up under one of his favorite blankets enjoying the warm fire and his peeps.  In an instant it all changed, Elsa's nose shot straight up in the air; she inhaled hard moving her nose around to catch the best scent.  Then she barked, Luke stuck his nose in the air and did the exact same thing.  Luke now standing on the couch and Elsa running around the room trying to capture the scent they were onto something.  We lowly humans sat wondering what they were smelling; obviously something very potent as nothing had changed in the indoor environment.

We have deer here in Connecticut and they come very close to the house.  We all thought that perhaps a deer had just walked by; I turned on the outside lights and had a look, nothing.  We listened to the best of our ability; our much inferior ears could not hear a thing and our noses certainly could not smell whatever it was that the dogs were smelling.  It was over as quickly as it started and everyone settled once again.

The next morning I had a look around outside the house; I checked the area that would be just outside the family room and sure enough, fresh deer tracks.  I know that dogs are amazing at scenting but the fact that they smelled a deer walk outside the house is still amazing to me.  Imagine being able to smell things like that? Was there a time when we human had that degree of scent ability?  Perhaps, but it is most definitely long gone now.  Luke has amazed me with his scent ability for years; he is our great spider hunter.  I have written a previous blog on him and his amazing spider talents.  (Click here to read the past blog on Luke's spider talents)

Having Elsa around reminds me daily how amazing dogs senses are; old dogs lose much of their senses so it's been much less vigilant around for a while.  I could come and go without the old girls even knowing.  I could vacuum all around their snug little bodies without them stirring.  Watching Elsa with her seemingly bionic ears and eyes brings it all back.  Dogs are far more superior than us in many ways.