Dogs are very curious animals and we still have a lot to learn about them. Your beloved four-legged friend has his own tastes and quirks , just like you do. You probably know which dogs he gets along with and which ones he doesn’t. You’re also aware of the foods he hates and the ones he drools over. However, there may be one aspect you haven’t paid much attention to: his sense of smell .
It is normal that you have never asked yourself this question or that you are asking it now for the first time. People tend to agree on pleasant and unpleasant smells , there are rare exceptions in which we find a difference of opinions on this subject.
However, dogs do not interpret odors in the same way as humans . This makes what may be pleasant to smell for you, unbearable for your dog and vice versa. If you want to know which odors dogs hate , read on to learn more about your four-legged friend .
Why do dogs hate certain scents?
What makes your dog hate smells that you find pleasant? Their sense of smell. Dogs have a sense of smell that is 10,000 to 100,000 times more acute than humans . This is due to their olfactory receptors, which far exceed those of humans. While humans typically have around 5 million olfactory receptors, canines can have up to 300 million .
The result of all this is that dogs perceive more nuances in smells than we do . Therefore, we can say that the smell you perceive is not the same as the one your furry friend perceives. Among the smells that dogs hate, we can mention several.
Citrus
Humans tend to like citrus scents, such as orange, lime or tangerine . However, this is not the case for dogs, since with their highly developed sense of smell, citrus fruits can even cause irritation in their respiratory tract . Therefore, it is important for dogs to avoid these smells, especially those that come from the essential oils of these fruits , which are more intense.
Vinegar
It is well known that vinegar is an unpleasant smell for dogs, as it is often used to scare them away from places where they are not welcome or to prevent them from urinating in unwanted places. In fact, vinegar perfectly fulfills this function without causing any kind of harm to the animal .
Alcohol
Antiseptic alcohol is one of the most hated smells by dogs and, in fact, its use on your pet’s skin can be very harmful . The same goes for antibacterial gel and alcoholic beverages, especially those with a high alcohol content.
It is alcohol, precisely, that is to blame for dogs being unable to tolerate certain cosmetic products, such as perfume, nail polish or nail polish remover . While you use these products because you like them, your dog will surely sneeze and run away from you while using them.
Cleaning products
Some cleaning products , such as bleach or ammonia , are very annoying for dogs, as they give off very strong smells. They are also dangerous for their health , as they can cause irritation to their respiratory tract. Therefore, we recommend not using them near your dog, even outdoors.
Spicy
Chilli, pepper, chili or chili pepper, the smell of spicy foods is not a pleasant experience for dogs. This is due to compounds naturally present in all these foods: the so-called capsaicinoids .
Naphthalene
We’ll end with one of the most dangerous smells for your furry friend. Mothballs are often used to keep moths away from clothes. However, ingesting them can cause serious damage to your dog and even death. Therefore, it is advisable to keep them out of reach.
As you can see, all the smells that dogs can’t stand are those that even humans can appreciate as strong. If we sneeze at spicy food, how can it not bother your furry friend?
