Rottweilers are friendly, loyal, loving, and overly protective of their owners, which makes them one of the top 10 dog breeds in the United States of America. However, what do we know about their senses, in particular, what do we know about the Rottweiler’s sense of smell?
Well, like many other dog breeds, Rottweilers have an excellent sense of smell. Accordingly, they are often used as tracking dogs and are one of the preferred breeds to be selected as police dogs.
Unlike humans, dogs use their sense of smell as their primary sense and often discover the world through their noses, whereas humans usually use their eyes for the same experience.
There are many incredibly interesting facts relating to Rottweilers and their sense of smell, some of which relate to their origins during the ancient roman time. Be sure to read on to find out more.
Why Is A Rottweiler’s Sense Of Smell So Strong?
The reasoning behind the particularly powerful sense of smell a Rottweiler has is simply because of the natural genetic and biological makeup of dogs in general. Rottweilers have 200 million, yes 200 million, olfactory receptors.
This is quite incredible, considering the 5 million olfactory receptors that human beings have. Whilst the Rottweiler’s sense of smell is very powerful, it is actually not the strongest of all the dog breeds.
That particular title belongs to Bloodhounds, which have 300 million, considering scenting is what they are known for, Rottweilers are not that far away.
Fun Fact: Did you know that Rottweilers can scent emotions? Anything from sadness to happiness and fear to excitement, your rottweiler will be able to smell it all. They can even detect your fight-or-flight instinct as it plays out in your most stressful and anxiety-inducing situations.
How Has a Rottweiler’s Sense of Smell Been Used In Police Work?
When you think of the term ‘police dog’, your mind may often conjure up images of German Shepherds, but Rottweilers also have a rich history of helping police officers conduct their work. In fact, Rottweilers were often used during World War One as both messenger dogs as well as trackers.
It is this long tracking history, as well as brute strength and high level of intelligence that makes them one of the most popular options for police dog breeds today.
The Rottweiler’s sense of smell is what places them within the category of dogs that are often used for general police work. This includes tracking potential suspects and chasing them down once they try to get away.
In actual fact, it is predicted that Rottweilers may overtake German Shepherds in the not-too-distant future as the number one choice for police work.
This is due to the mass amount of over-breeding and inbreeding that has seen the breed become unpredictable and potentially overly aggressive.
How Far In Miles Can A Rottweiler Smell?
Perhaps one of the most impressive things that your furry little friend can do, although sometimes it seems like a miracle if you get them to ‘sit’ without the reward of a treat, is that they can smell over a very long distance. To be exact, Rottweilers can detect and smell unique scents from a distance as far as 1.2 miles away.
Although sometimes it seems that the only thing they can smell from a couple of rooms away is either breakfast, lunch, or dinner, they can smell much more than that.
It must be noted, however, that in order to truly achieve such feats, you must either train your Rottweiler personally or pay for training sessions. It is most beneficial to do this during your dog’s puppy years, as that is when they will be at their most susceptible to learning.
How Far Can A Rottweiler Sense Its Owner?
In terms of smelling and being able to return to their owner, Rottweilers can (in perfect outdoor conditions) be able to smell their owner from as far as 20km away. This is due to the level of familiarity that your four-legged friend has with your everyday scent.
Alternatively, if you are curious as to how much your beloved Rottweiler is attuned to your personal feelings and emotions, then you may be very shocked.
- Your Rottweiler Can Sense Your Current Emotion: Whether you are feeling upset, happy, excited, or nervous, your loving pet will be able to sense it and will come to your aid immediately.
- They Are The Perfect Therapy Dog: The Rottweiler’s sense of smell is so incredible that it can even scent your fight-or-flight reaction during your most anxious moments. Their ability to truly be there for whoever they are bonded with makes Rottweilers one of the most loving dog breeds, in my opinion.
Why Does A Rottweiler Sniff Everywhere?
If you have your very own Rottweiler, you may be noticing that they tend to sniff, well, everywhere.
The Rottweiler sense of smell is incredibly important for a whole host of reasons. While you may find your pets’ habits annoying, perhaps you may not think this as much once you have learned why your beloved dog tends to sniff everything.
As I have already mentioned, a dog’s sense of smell is like our eyesight, it is how they view and discover the world. So, the most likely reason why your dog is sniffing everywhere is to gain information about their local environment.
Sniffing their owners and around their homes will reveal a whole host of information to your dog. From what you have been up to, what you have been eating, and how you are feeling. Alternatively, they can also discover if there have been any other animals around, especially in what they consider to be ‘their’ territory.
On the other hand, your four-legged friend may simply be searching for food. You know what dogs can be like, at even the slightest feeling of hunger, they will search high and low for even the smallest crumb of food. Well, Rottweilers are no different.
Are There Scents That Are Harmful To Your Rottweiler?
There is a mixture of scents that your dog will either dislike and actively avoid, or there are scents that are toxic and potentially deadly to your dog. Whilst the scents that fall under the former category are more personal to the individual dog, most dogs will find the same scents to be harmful to them, no matter their breed.
For example, my Rottweiler Rocky loves to follow me around whilst I am cooking and often gets under my feet. This will all soon change, however, when I reach for the paprika (which I use quite often) as Rocky hates the smell and will run for the hills as soon as he sees the jar.
Smells That Rottweilers May Dislike:
Of course, you may find that your Rottweiler may or may not dislike particular smells. All dogs are such characters, aren’t they? Here is a list of some of the scents that your four-legged friend may not enjoy:
- Hair and Beauty Products: Especially products that have a higher concentration of chemicals compared to the more natural or organic options that are available on the market.
- Aftershaves and Perfumes: Again, some chemicals are also used in aftershaves and perfumes that may make your pet wrinkle their nose, but also the added fragrances may not agree with them.
- Grounded or Jarred Spices: Naturally, spicy ingredients in cooking may not agree with your dog’s sense of smell. Items such as paprika, cayenne pepper, and chili powder are just some of the regular offenders.
- Household Cleaning Products: Similar to some mentioned above, chemical ingredients in cleaning products can cause a negative reaction in your dog, and it’s not just because you’re cleaning away their stereotypical smell. Sometimes the artificial scents added to mask the chemical smell of cleaning products can also offend your dog’s delicate senses.
- Citrus Fruits: Perhaps one that you are not expecting, but citrus fruits can be quite offensive to a dog’s sense of smell. In fact, citrus fruit scents are often used to deter your dog from well, urinating in specific areas. Strange? I know, but true.
Smells That Are Harmful Or Toxic To Rottweilers:
A step up from scents that Rottweilers may simply dislike are the ones that can be toxic and, in some instances, deadly to your precious Rottweiler.
- Essential Oils: They are quite popular at the moment, but essential oils can be incredibly toxic to your beloved four-legged friends. Scents including cinnamon, peppermint, pine, clove, thyme, tea tree, and garlic are just some of the essential oil fragrances that you probably should not purchase if you have any kind of dog.
- Incense: Not necessarily an issue that Rottweilers face, but burning incense can, on occasion, cause a negative reaction in your furry friend.
- Air Fresheners: Some air fresheners can be toxic for Rottweilers, and other dog breeds. This is due to the artificial scents as well as the chemical makeup of these products.
Final thoughts
It is clear that while it is not the dog breed with the strongest sense of smell; Rottweilers are definitely up there. Its historical past relates to the importance of its sense of smell, especially with the breed’s role in World War One, to modern police work today.
It is clear that Rottweiler’s sense of smell is significant and has been internationally recognized throughout history. Not to mention their ability to smell and detect over 20km in perfect conditions and their capacity to detect even the emotions and feelings of their beloved owners.
