sight, sound or smell--what does a dog rely on most?

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by triodegirl on 24 March 2009 - 16:03

I was arguing with a friend the other day (the blind leading the blind) about which of the 3 a dog relies on most--sight, sound (hearing) or smell. My friend thought sight was the least important and the sense of smell most important. To be honest, I don't really know the answer. I would guess all 3 are important depending on the situation.

What spurred the discussion was when my friend stops over the dogs usually bark at him until he gets close enough for the dogs to smell. So he said the dogs just don't recognize him until they can smell him. So he thought smell was most important of a dog's senses.

by Two Moons on 24 March 2009 - 16:03

Hearing is first, followed by smell, then sight.
And then there is that other sense, the one that has no name.
Its always there and working.
JMO.

by Alyssa Myracle on 24 March 2009 - 16:03

A dog's eyesight isn't near as great as we'd like to think.

Like most predators, it's designed to see movement, more than detail. They have more peripheral vision that humans, but as a result, they sacrifice a lot of their "binocular" vision.

by RONNIERUNCO on 24 March 2009 - 16:03

I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT ME AND DINKY ARE REALLY ATTUNED TO ODORS. ME AND THE DINKMEISTER CAN DETECT YEAST AND OTHER SCENTS FROM MILES AWAY.

by Two Moons on 24 March 2009 - 16:03

Ronnie,
Is that from upwind, or down wind?
Makes a difference.
Moons.

by RONNIERUNCO on 24 March 2009 - 16:03

I TELL YA MR MOONS WITH ME AND DINK ITS MORE OF AN INSTINCT TO DETECT YEAST AND CHICKEN DOWNWIND OR UP.

by Two Moons on 24 March 2009 - 17:03

LOL......

by yellowrose of Texas on 24 March 2009 - 21:03

A good dog uses 5 senses to vitalize a good all around animal.. Smell, hearing, sight and touch(pads absorb sound emitted thru surface on which it walks or runs or stands) and Taste

Nose is 100% rating,
Ears are 70%
Eyes ( sight) is at 50% ,

taste is 20%
and touch is at 10%

by Gershep2 on 24 March 2009 - 21:03

1. Nose 2. Ears 3. Eyes

by Kaffirdog on 25 March 2009 - 09:03

Depends on the dog and what it was bred for, sighthounds like Greyhounds use their eyes more than their other senses, will easily miss a rabbit right next to them if it freezes and scenthounds like Beagles use their noses. Dogs seem to have a bit of difficulty multitasking their senses, scenthounds typically have the "nose turns on and ears turn off" which makes them good at concentrating on a track without being distracted by outside influence. Breeds developed to hunt and tell the humans what the situation is seem to use their hearing less than the herding breeds that have been developed to follow instructions.

Margaret N-J

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