12/04/2023
Yesterday at the The Sniffery…
Cannella and Dixie checked themselves in for a sniff sesh… like most of our guests they explored the new space with great joy and enthusiasm!
FUN FACT: Did you know that while dogs experience the world primarily through their nose, the sense of smell is only the 3rd most important sense in horses after sight and hearing.
But 3rd place is no slouch! … a human nose has 5 or 6 million olfactory receptors while horses have some 50 times that - impressive, yet still somewhat fewer than dogs and rats that boast ~300 million such receptors.
It’s not all about the receptors for these super sniffers! Their large, flexible nostrils will flare to pull in as much air as possible when faced with a potentially significant scent.
Increased volume of air flows into the large nasal cavity and over the nerve-rich mucosa filters the inhaled air and sends heightened sensory impulses to the brain
What’s more, horses have directional smelling! Twin olfactory bulbs located on either side of the front of the cerebrum are connected to the receptors in the nasal passages. These are one of the only brain structures that do not cross over; the receptors in the left nostril are directly connected with the left olfactory bulb, and the right with the right, allowing horses to smell in “stereo.”
As if that’s not enough, they have what’s like a second nose! The vomeronasal organ (VNO), positioned at the base of the nasal cavity and the roof of the mouth with its own pathway to the brain, functions almost like a separate sensory organ - mostly to detect and analyze pheromones in other animals.
So when you see the head toss, nose wrinkle, curled lip toothy grin, it’s not a smile - it’s a distinctive facial movement called the flehmen response most likely intended to stimulate the VNO to pick up the scent of a mate or sometimes to help identify an unusual odour.
Fascinating, right?! …but I digress!
The Sniffery will be closed Dec.4-Dec.8 while we mend some fences!
With love from The Sniffery 🐾
Come on and sniffari with us! The Sniffery offers canine enrichment experiences in a fun safe space, ideal for dogs that love to follow their nose.
