Dogs are incredibly perceptive animals, and are not known as mans best friend for no reason.
They are often by our side for many years, which would suggest they may have learned a thing or two about humans.
Scientists have done copious studies into whether dogs can actually tell if we are sad, lonely, happy or unwell, and it seems over time our pets have developed some intuition.
Canines may be able to sense everything from danger to their owners mood changes – but can they tell if a human is injured or sick?
Have you ever noticed your dog acting strange right before you realized you were injured or sick? Maybe they started sniffing at a particular spot on your body, or became extra attentive and clingy? Turns out, your furry friend might be picking up on something you haven’t even realized yet!
As a dog owner myself, I’ve always been fascinated by my pup’s seemingly supernatural abilities. Today, I’m diving deep into the question that’s probably brought you here can dogs sense injuries? The short answer is YES – and the science behind it is absolutely mind-blowing!
The Incredible Nose That Knows
Let’s start with the obvious – dogs have an amazing sense of smell that puts our human noses to shame. Here’s just how superior their sniffers really are:
- Dogs have approximately 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, compared to our measly 6 million
- The part of a dog’s brain dedicated to analyzing smells is proportionally 40 times larger than ours
- Dogs possess a special vomeronasal organ (also called Jacobson’s organ) that detects pheromones we can’t perceive
- Scientists estimate a dog’s sense of smell is at least 10,000 times more acute than a human’s
This incredible sense of smell isn’t just good for finding treats in your pocket – it actually allows dogs to detect subtle changes in our body chemistry when we’re injured or sick.
Signs Your Dog Might Be Sensing Your Injury
So how do you know if your pooch is picking up on an injury? Look for these telltale behaviors:
- Changes in temperament – becoming more curious and attentive than usual
- Mimicking your movements – following you closely and mirroring your actions
- Increased affection – cuddling more, putting their head in your lap
- Physical identification – pawing or pushing at the specific injured area
- Staring – maintaining focused attention on you or the injury site
- Guarding behavior – becoming protective of you
- Sniffing and licking – particularly at the site of injury
One time my dog wouldn’t stop sniffing at my ankle after a hike. I thought he was just being weird, but later that evening I discovered a tick had embedded itself there! His nose knew something was wrong before I did.
The Science Behind Dogs Sensing Injuries
This isn’t just pet owner folklore – there’s real science backing up our dogs’ injury-detecting abilities:
How They Do It:
When you’re injured, your body releases different compounds and chemicals that dogs can smell. For example:
- Blood – Even tiny amounts of blood have a distinct scent dogs can detect
- Stress hormones – Your body releases cortisol and adrenaline when injured
- Inflammatory markers – Injuries cause inflammation, releasing specific compounds
- Pain signals – Chemical changes occur when you’re experiencing pain
Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, an authority on dog behavior, explains that when we’re injured or sick, “we’re sending out lots of cues, of just the sort that dogs are specialized in attuning to.” While dogs might not understand the concept of “sickness,” they certainly notice these changes.
Beyond Smell: Reading Your Emotions
Dogs don’t just rely on their noses – they’re also experts at reading our facial expressions and body language. A fascinating study from the University of Lincoln in the U.K. in 2016 found that dogs can integrate different sensory information (like facial expressions and sounds) to recognize human emotions.
The study involved 17 domestic dogs who were shown images paired with sounds expressing different emotions. The dogs spent significantly more time looking at the images that matched the emotional tone of the sounds, suggesting they can recognize when someone is in pain or distress.
The History of Dogs Detecting Injuries and Illness
The recognition of dogs’ ability to detect injuries and illnesses is relatively recent in scientific circles, though dog owners have suspected it for centuries. Here’s a quick timeline:
- Mid-20th century – The United States Military Working Dog Program began training dogs for scent detection, initially focusing on narcotics
- 1989 – Doctors at King’s College Hospital in London noticed a dog paying unusual attention to a mole on a patient’s leg, which turned out to be skin cancer
- 2006 – A groundbreaking study found trained dogs could detect lung cancer with 99% accuracy and breast cancer with 88% accuracy using breath samples
- Present day – Research continues on dogs’ abilities to detect various conditions including seizures, migraines, and narcolepsy
Can Dogs Be Trained to Better Detect Injuries?
Absolutely! Using operant conditioning and positive reinforcement, we can enhance our dogs’ natural abilities to detect injuries and illnesses. Here’s how professionals train injury-detecting dogs:
- Scent training – Exposing dogs to specific scents associated with injuries or diseases
- Positive reinforcement – Rewarding the dog when they correctly identify the target scent
- Repetition – Consistent practice to strengthen the association between the scent and the reward
Even without professional training, you can reinforce your dog’s natural detection abilities by praising them when they notice something wrong. For example, if you cut yourself and your dog shows interest in the wound, rewarding this behavior will make them more likely to alert you to injuries in the future.
Real-Life Examples of Dogs Detecting Injuries
These aren’t just theoretical abilities – there are countless stories of dogs saving lives by detecting injuries and illnesses:
“My dog wouldn’t stop pawing at my chest for weeks. I finally went to the doctor to make him stop bothering me, and they found early-stage breast cancer. His persistence literally saved my life.” – Sarah, 42
“After my husband fell in the garage while I was out shopping, our German Shepherd stayed by his side for three hours until I got home, then immediately led me to him. The doctors said if he’d been found any later, his internal bleeding could have been fatal.” – Maria, 68
What To Do When Your Dog Senses an Injury
If your dog is showing signs of detecting an injury, here’s what you should do:
- Pay attention – Don’t dismiss your dog’s behavior as odd or annoying
- Check yourself – Examine the area your dog is focusing on
- Monitor for changes – Keep track of any symptoms that develop
- Seek medical attention – If your dog’s behavior persists or you discover something concerning
- Reinforce the behavior – Thank your dog and give positive reinforcement
Common Misconceptions About Dogs Sensing Injuries
There are some myths about dogs’ injury-detecting abilities that need clearing up:
Myth: Dogs can sense danger before it happens.
Truth: Dogs can’t predict the future, but they can detect subtle environmental changes and body language cues that humans miss.
Myth: All dogs can naturally detect all injuries and illnesses.
Truth: While dogs have the biological equipment to detect many injuries, their abilities vary by breed, training, and individual sensitivity.
Myth: Dogs only detect injuries in their owners.
Truth: Dogs can detect injuries in anyone, though they may be more attuned to people they know well.
Tips for Dog Owners
If you want to work with your dog’s natural injury-detecting abilities:
- Learn to read your dog’s body language – Understanding the subtle signs your dog gives when they sense something is wrong
- Use positive reinforcement – Never punish your dog for showing interest in an injury or illness
- Be patient – Don’t get irritated by your dog’s increased attention; they’re concerned for your wellbeing
- Trust their instincts – Sometimes your dog might know something before you do
Final Thoughts: Our Amazing Canine Companions
The ability of dogs to sense injuries is just one more reason why these animals truly are our best friends. Their extraordinary senses combined with their deep bond with humans make them not just companions, but sometimes lifesavers.
As veterinarian Anna Ewers Clark from The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) explains: “Dogs may not be able to tell if their owner is injured or dying as such, but they will pick up on unusual behaviour, and likely react strangely themselves. They can also sense certain changes in our physiology.”
So next time your dog starts acting weird around you – maybe sniffing persistently at a specific area or becoming extra attentive – don’t brush it off. They might be trying to tell you something important! After all, with their superior senses and the deep bond you share, they might know more about your body than you do.
Have you ever had an experience where your dog detected an injury or illness before you knew about it? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below!
Remember: While dogs can be remarkably accurate at detecting injuries and illnesses, they should never replace proper medical care. Always consult with a healthcare professional if you suspect an injury or illness.
Can Dogs Tell If You’re Unwell?
Scientists have found dogs actually can tell if you are unwell, in certain cases.
The key to this is all in their sense of smell. Humans let off a very different scent depending on their state of wellbeing, meaning we smell different to dogs when we are ill.
An example of this was found in a study into early cancers, where dogs were given stool and exhaled breath samples to see if they could detect colon cancer.
These dogs were specially trained in scent detection of cancer, and they were able to detect the disease using these samples, almost as well as a conventional diagnosis.
Even without training, dogs have a distinct advantage as their sense of smell is far more advanced than a humans. In fact, scientists have estimated it can be at least 10,000 times more acute.
Similarly, dogs have also developed the ability to read our facial expressions, meaning they may be able to sense if we are in pain.
A study in 2016 from the University of Lincoln in the U.K. suggested dogs can recognize human emotions. The experiment saw 17 domestic dogs listen to sounds paired with s in different combinations, showing positive or negative emotional expressions.
They spent far longer looking at the s that matched the sounds in terms of emotions, meaning if we look anxious and in pain, dogs can potentially pick up on this.
Researcher Dr. Kun Guo from the University of Lincolns school of psychology said: “Previous studies have indicated that dogs can differentiate between human emotions from cues such as facial expressions, but this is not the same as emotional recognition.
“Our study shows that dogs have the ability to integrate two different sources of sensory information into a coherent perception of emotion in both humans and dogs. To do so requires a system of internal categorization of emotional states.
“This cognitive ability has until now only been evidenced in primates and the capacity to do this across species only seen in humans.”
If smell and sight werent enough, research conducted in 2014 also suggested dogs can notice differences in the way their owners sound when they are ill. Through presenting vocal stimuli to dogs and scanning their brain function, scientists found they can hear the difference between a happy and sad owner.
Having said all this, it is unclear if a dog actually knows you are injured, and may instead be able to sense a change in the atmosphere around you.
Speaking to Newsweek, The Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) vet Anna Ewers Clark said: “Dogs may not be able to tell if their owner is injured or dying as such, but they will pick up on unusual behaviour, and likely react strangely themselves. They can also sense certain changes in our physiology, which is how dogs can be trained to respond to detect changes blood glucose levels to alert diabetic owners, and help those who have seizures not injure themselves.
“Contrary to popular belief, our pooches cant sense danger, but they do have very keen senses that can pick up signals or changes that we cant and they are experts at reading body language, behaviour and facial expressions.
“This means that your canine companion may be able to pick up on dangerous situations before you do. For example, dogs might be able to detect changes in atmospheric pressure and gases, so may be able to detect when a natural disaster is about to happen, for example an earthquake.”
Muscle Strain Vs. Joint Injury in Dogs – How to Tell The Difference
FAQ
Can dogs sense inflammation in humans?
How do dogs act when they smell illness?
Do dogs understand when you are injured?
Can dogs sense wounds?
Like humans do with sight, dogs experience the world primarily through scent, so similarly to curiously looking at a wound, dogs will curiously smell a wound. He’s just getting sensory input – his primary mode of it.