Does Cheese Ruin A Dogs Nose?

[corrie]

In the lower levels of obedience I have heard people being told not to use cheese as it ruins the dogs nose. I am assuming the line of thought is incase the handler decides down the track that they want to do tracking with their dog.

Can cheese really ruin a dogs nose?

[Jigsaw]

I've heard of it being bad for the dog's bowels!!! But for the nose - well if it's that really stinky blue vein stuff maybe - but you're feeding it to the dog aren't you? If you only gave the dog cheese as a treat I guess it might get a bit hooked on cheese and if it was the only thing you got your dog to track for maybe it would be good detecting cheese thieves. I wouldn't think it would ruin a dog's nose if just generally used as a treat but I've never done tracking either so can't speak about that.

ETA to fix grammar

Edited July 12, 2008 by Jigsaw

[MolassesLass]

Not exactly a scientific answer but the two tracking instructors I train with use cheese as treats (among other things), so...I guess not.

[Luke GSP]

In the lower levels of obedience I have heard people being told not to use cheese as it ruins the dogs nose. I am assuming the line of thought is incase the handler decides down the track that they want to do tracking with their dog.

Can cheese really ruin a dogs nose?

Your supposed to put it in their mouth, not stuff it up their nose! I also think it depends on what wine you are using to compliment the cheese.

Sorry, couldn't resist

[Kavik]

When I was doing a scent detection course they did mention something about not using cheese as it interferes with scenting. I can't remember why though, was several years ago. Cheese is what I use as treats too but I haven't done any serious scent work (only for fun), and only a little tracking.

[kobblyness]

In the lower levels of obedience I have heard people being told not to use cheese as it ruins the dogs nose. I am assuming the line of thought is incase the handler decides down the track that they want to do tracking with their dog.

Can cheese really ruin a dogs nose?

Your supposed to put it in their mouth, not stuff it up their nose! I also think it depends on what wine you are using to compliment the cheese.

Sorry, couldn't resist

:rofl:

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I read this thread earlier and thought it was an interesting question. Good responses. I use cheese as rewards, but then I don't plan on doing any tracking.

[denis_c]

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I read this thread earlier and thought it was an interesting question. Good responses. I use cheese as rewards, but then I don't plan on doing any tracking.

I have not experienced a loss of performance using cheese, and have taught a few dogs to track,to trialling level. I wouldn't use really pungent cheese though as it seems that the biggest problem is dogs being overloaded.

I have also used that rolled up cheddar to rub on scent articles with success too.

It would be interesting one day to see some science behind all the various ancedotes about the scenting behaviour of dogs. Until then, it is very much buyer beware.

[corrie]

Thanks for the responses. I agree denis_c that it would be interesting to see the science behind it.

I have no experience in scent work etc. but it was interesting to hear other thoughts on the subject and Luke GSP, surely a nice cab sav couldn't pose too much of a problem.

[Luke GSP]

Thanks for the responses. I agree denis_c that it would be interesting to see the science behind it.

I have no experience in scent work etc. but it was interesting to hear other thoughts on the subject and Luke GSP, surely a nice cab sav couldn't pose too much of a problem.

Monte's more of a Shiraz man but molly's more of a sem sav kinda girl. also, as a note I don't know about anyone elses dogs but my dogs seem to prefer screw tops as they have difficulty with cork screws, Probably due to them not having opposable thumbs? :D

[Erny]

Sardog has said that cheese affects the scenting ability of dogs. I'm not sure how or why, as I've not been able to find any documented studies on it, but perhaps she would have more information on it? Given the work she does with her dogs, if anyone would know I expect Sardog would.

Edited July 12, 2008 by Erny

[denis_c]

Sardog has said that cheese affects the scenting ability of dogs. I'm not sure how or why, as I've not been able to find any documented studies on it, but perhaps she would have more information on it? Given the work she does with her dogs, if anyone would know I expect Sardog would.

I did find this reference http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qi...26095504AAvP64W which mentioned the mythbusters programme. Again we do not know at what level the dogs are working at, and whether different types of cheeses do different things. My personal suggestion is that if I hear anedoctal information from a trainer of note, is that I try to test it myself for my dogs. Sometimes I incorporate it becuase it is true for my dogs, sometimes I don't.

What I can tell you is than in a typical situation where you are helping a handler dog pair to get startred, the dog has a history of of being over sated and under stimulated, that if cheese works, you use it and get the dog started. This is a non critical situation where the scenting is well within any dog's capability.

[Sardog]

Dogs scent through their mouth and canine incisors as well as their noses.

You will often see dogs taking small amounts of grass or vegetation while they are working, sometimes this is cleansing the mouth and nose and other times analysing . It's called the Vomeronasal Organs. They are both found on the right and left side of the nasal cavity on the roof of the mouth. The olfactory receptors are present in the nose but the Vomeronasal Organ has different receptors. The VO recognises different odors that come into the mouth and the brain sort of "scans" the odor sources, for example, when a dog scents & licks the area where another dog has urinated. Quite often you see male dogs scent an area where a female has urinated, licks the area and then salivates. This is the VO doing its job.

When a dog eats cheese, the cheese coats the roof of the mouth and teeth and in turn blocks the scenting glands as explained in the case of the VO. If you are constantly training and giving the dog cheese as a reward, the above will occur. If it is an occasional treat, it will take at least two days for the dogs mouth to clear itself of the cheese.

Tests have been done on various foods in the UK Military for their detection dogs and cheese was high on their list as very detrimental to their scenting ability.

Always be careful of giving spicy treats such as chilli sticks etc as the scenting glands are also affected...for obvious reasons.

To further explain how dogs use their mouth as well as their noses for scenting, we were on a search once where the police airwing was hovering above the search area and the victim was on the bank of a river. The rotors of the police helicopter where dispersing the scent from the victims over the water and one of our search dogs dived into the river and was sort of biting the air. He was actually using his mouth as well as his nose to detect the scent from the victims. He came back to the shore and immediately ran along the river bank to the victims. The police airwing thought it was "typical Labrador going for a swim" until we explained what was happening. They could not see the victims from the air because of the umbrella affect of foliage over the victims and hindered our search a little with the rotors of the helicopter dispersing the scent.

Hope this helps.

[Luke GSP]

Dogs scent through their mouth and canine incisors as well as their noses.

You will often see dogs taking small amounts of grass or vegetation while they are working, sometimes this is cleansing the mouth and nose and other times analysing . It's called the Vomeronasal Organs. They are both found on the right and left side of the nasal cavity on the roof of the mouth. The olfactory receptors are present in the nose but the Vomeronasal Organ has different receptors. The VO recognises different odors that come into the mouth and the brain sort of "scans" the odor sources, for example, when a dog scents & licks the area where another dog has urinated. Quite often you see male dogs scent an area where a female has urinated, licks the area and then salivates. This is the VO doing its job.

When a dog eats cheese, the cheese coats the roof of the mouth and teeth and in turn blocks the scenting glands as explained in the case of the VO. If you are constantly training and giving the dog cheese as a reward, the above will occur. If it is an occasional treat, it will take at least two days for the dogs mouth to clear itself of the cheese.

Tests have been done on various foods in the UK Military for their detection dogs and cheese was high on their list as very detrimental to their scenting ability.

Always be careful of giving spicy treats such as chilli sticks etc as the scenting glands are also affected...for obvious reasons.

To further explain how dogs use their mouth as well as their noses for scenting, we were on a search once where the police airwing was hovering above the search area and the victim was on the bank of a river. The rotors of the police helicopter where dispersing the scent from the victims over the water and one of our search dogs dived into the river and was sort of biting the air. He was actually using his mouth as well as his nose to detect the scent from the victims. He came back to the shore and immediately ran along the river bank to the victims. The police airwing thought it was "typical Labrador going for a swim" until we explained what was happening. They could not see the victims from the air because of the umbrella affect of foliage over the victims and hindered our search a little with the rotors of the helicopter dispersing the scent.

Hope this helps.

Sound more convincing than the cheese and wine explanation! Great post sardog very interesting!