Olfactory communication is a crucial element in the dog–human relationship, shaped over thousands of years of domestication. While it is well established that dogs can detect stress in humans, a new study published in the Journal of Sensory Studies in 2024 shows that this ability does not appear to work in reverse.
Nomi Gebele, Ilona Croy, and Juliane Bräuer conducted experiments using odor samples from four dogs collected under both relaxed and stressed conditions. The study involved 40 participants, split evenly between dog owners and non-dog owners, who were blindfolded and asked to identify whether samples came from stressed or relaxed dogs.
The results were clear: humans could not reliably distinguish stress odors in dogs. Furthermore, dog owners did not perform better than non-dog owners, suggesting that experience with dogs does not enhance this capacity.
This finding highlights an asymmetry in olfactory communication between the two species. Whereas dogs are adept at detecting human emotional states through scent, humans appear unable to reciprocate in the same way. The authors suggest this underscores the unique role of dogs as sensory partners in the human–animal bond, with their superior olfactory abilities continuing to complement human limitations.
Future research may explore whether training, exposure, or technological aids could help humans better perceive chemical signals from dogs, potentially improving welfare monitoring in companion animals.
Source: Gebele, N., Croy, I., & Bräuer, J. (2024). Odor‐Based Recognition of Canine Stress: Investigating Human Olfactory Perception. Journal of Sensory Studies. Authors: Nomi Gebele, Ilona Croy, Juliane Bräuer. Publication Date: 2024-12-01. Journal: Journal of Sensory Studies.
