During a forest walk, your dog is drawn to a tempting scent of game, and that's when their instinct kicks in, leading them to follow the trail!
Your dog enters its bubble, all its senses focused on this smell, at that moment it no longer hears you, no longer sees you, it is as if disconnected, its only goal is to follow this scent!
Let’s try to understand together what is happening for him at this moment, how to prevent and react in this situation.
The dog's sense of smell
- You should know that generally, a dog's nose is between 100,000 to 1 million times more sensitive than that of a human.
- The olfactory part of a dog's brain is almost seven times larger than that of a human!
- 33% of a dog's brain interprets smells compared to 5% of a human brain.
- The dog has 1,094 olfactory receptors, while humans have only 802.
This means that our sense of smell is significantly inferior to that of our canine companions, and it is because of this that it is difficult for us to understand the extraordinary sense of smell of dogs, as scent is not visible!
Instinct: Definition
- Part hereditary and innate behavioral tendencies of humans and animals: Survival instinct (Larousse)
What we can understand is that instinct is passed down from generation to generation and is present from birth.
Let’s return to our walk in the forest, just before Loulou puts his nose to the ground, if you observe him closely he will stop for a few seconds to think, and it is at this moment only that you can call him in a cheerful voice to capture his attention and bring him back to you. But as soon as he starts to put his nose to the ground and walk in a zigzag, the machine is set in motion, he goes off to follow the scent!
From this moment on, he enters his bubble, his sense of smell and instinct drive him to follow the invisible trail left by the game during its passage..... As he gets closer, the scent will gradually become fresher and more concentrated, Loulou will quicken his pace and respond to his needs!
From that moment on, you can call as many times as you want, shout his name, it won’t matter, he can no longer hear you, and he moves away!
This can happen to any dog, any breed, at any time, because following a scent and using its nose is entirely part of its needs, but what can we do?
1: Identification Tag
All dogs should wear a tag with their name and especially a phone number, so that when someone finds them, they can contact their owners through the tag!
Because I’m sorry to say, but many people who find a dog without identification do not bother to take it to the vet to see if it is microchipped and think after a while, "Oh, it will find its way home eventually!!!! "
But no, a tired and lost dog suffers an emotional shock and needs our help to find its way home.
2: The Bell
Equip your dog with a bell during your walks, because when he moves away and is no longer in sight, you can always listen and locate him thanks to it!
3: GPS Tracker
You can also equip your dog with a GPS tracker, extremely effective and reassuring in such situations. Your dog wears the tracker on its collar, and you can locate it directly using the app on your phone and go meet it!
4: Stay Calm
Loulou is out of sight, you don’t know where he is, stress starts to overwhelm you, TAKE A DEEP BREATH and regain your composure! Panicking will not bring anything good!
5: Leave a Jacket with Your Scent
Remember the spot where Loulou started following the scent and place your jacket on the ground at that exact spot; if you can, also leave some treats and a bowl of water.
You should know that when your dog stops following its trail, it will regain its senses and want to find you, and for that, it will retrace its steps and follow its own scent back to its starting point!
Finding your jacket with your scent, as well as something to eat, will reassure it, and it will stay nearby for a while; it’s up to you not to wander off even if time seems long (some dogs follow scents for several hours).
6: Notify the Town Hall and Authorities
If you decide to go home after a certain time, do not hesitate to inform the authorities as well as the town hall of the municipality where your dog has gone so they can notify you if it is found by the pound or a private individual. You must do everything possible to increase your chances.
7: Do Not Yell at Him
When you find your dog, even if you are angry, even if you were scared, even if you were worried, you MUST NOT SCOLD HIM!!!!! On the contrary, you should welcome him with joy and good humor because if it happens again, he will remember the time he returned when you were upset and will hesitate to come home for fear of repercussions.
8: Get Help
If during your outings, your dog often tends to go off on trails leaving you alone, you can use a 10-meter long leash to take him out safely while allowing him to explore his environment, but do not hesitate to also get help from a positive reinforcement dog trainer who can help you meet his needs and compensate for his behavior. Remember that it is his instinct that comes into play at that moment and that the risk of recurrence will always be present but can be greatly mitigated!
