03/09/2026
A little Did You Know? for you…
My dogs are 4, 5, and 5 years old, and in all that time I’ve only really been sick (other than a cold) maybe twice. The first time they were still puppies.
I started with a decent case of influenza on Thursday, and since the onset of symptoms my dogs have been extra clingy. German Shepherds are already pretty attached to their people, but this feels like I have three helicopter moms monitoring my every move.
There’s actually some science behind it, which I think is fascinating! German Shepherds have an extraordinary sense of smell. They have around 300 million scent receptors in their noses (compared to about 6 million in humans) and a much larger portion of their brain is dedicated to analyzing scent. Because of this, they can detect incredibly small changes in the chemical scent markers that our bodies release through breath, sweat, and skin when our chemistry changes during illness. When you have a virus or a fever, your immune system ramps up and your metabolism changes. That process alters the chemicals your body produces and releases, including compounds in sweat and breath. Even a rise in body temperature can slightly change the way those scent molecules are released through the skin.
That ability is the same reason German Shepherds are widely used in police, military, search and rescue, and medical detection work. They can detect things humans can’t perceive at all. Nova was still a puppy when Kiyah had leukemia, and we noticed some of these traits in her as well at her young age. I can only imagine what it would have been like if she were a mature adult during that time.
On top of that, German Shepherds are highly social working dogs with strong guardian instincts. When a member of the pack seems weaker or “off,” their natural response is often to stay close, monitor, and keep watch.
These three have watched my every move, lay close by, they check on me, circle me when my temp increases, and have completely disregarded any play these last few days. They have taken their job as my protector very seriously.
Their instincts are crazy to me. People wonder why I love my dogs so much. That is precisely why, and the reason I will never own another breed!
