German Shepherd Gets Put To The Test To Find His 'Hooman' Baby Sibling In The Park
Dogs are known for their sense of smell. Breeds like German shepherds are often held to a higher standard because of their association with police and military work as fierce K-9s. But just how good is the average family GSD at tracking down a scent? Well, this family put their dog, Rocky, to the test to find his human baby sibling in the park, and let's just say things did not go as expected.
In the YouTube video — titled "Will our German shepherd recognize mom and baby?" — Rocky goes for a walk with his human dad while mom and little sister sit on a bench. He seems to be picking up on a smell that makes you think he's going to eventually find them hiding in plain sight, especially because there's lots of whining and trilling, but in the end he walks right by them.
"Seriously, Rocky? LOL," asked one person in the comments, as another added that "Rocky is honed in [on] those pesky squirrels." Meanwhile, some people thought Rocky was pulling his own prank: "To be honest I think he was just messing with you guys! German Shepherds are such [tricksters] I know I have one lol." Either way, it makes for great entertainment!
Do dogs recognize people by scent?
Dogs utilize a number of ways to identify their human companions, with scent being a big factor. A dog's sense of smell is up to 100,000 times more sensitive than people's, which is why they're so good at tracking prey and finding that one rogue treat that accidentally rolled under the couch when they weren't really looking. Researchers even suspect dogs can smell things that humans can't, like certain health conditions and approaching thunderstorms.
When it comes to recognizing humans with this amazing ability, it boils down to a mix of familiarity and repeated exposure, emotional bonding with them, and the fact that each human gives off their own unique scent. So, after a while, a dog's brain remembers all these things, and they can theoretically find their family in a park, though Rocky's YouTube mishap just shows that even super-impressive canine nasal abilities aren't perfect.
Of course, other factors come into play for a dog recognizing you, including hearing your familiar voice and movements and seeing your physical appearance and body language. So, yes, finding a favorite human sometimes takes more than just following its nose.