10 Surprising Facts About a Dog’s Sense of Smell

5. Scent and the Canine Brain

The connection between scent and the canine brain is profound. The olfactory bulb, a structure located at the front of the brain, processes olfactory signals and is proportionally larger in dogs than in humans. This suggests that dogs experience the world primarily through their sense of smell. The olfactory bulb is linked to the limbic system, which is involved in emotion and memory. This connection explains why scents can trigger strong emotional responses in dogs and why they can remember scents associated with specific events or individuals. The brain's ability to process and store scent information is a testament to the importance of smell in a dog's life.