Why Dogs Can Smell Your Emotions (Even the Ones You’re Trying to Hide)

You might be able to fool yourself.

Your friends.

Your family.

You can even say you’re “fine” and almost believe it.

But your dog can’t be fooled.

Dogs can smell your emotions.

Your Dog’s Nose Is One Of His Superpowers

It may seem like your dog is only sniffing out treats and weird yard smells.

But your dog’s nose is really next level.

Your buddy’s sniffer has 300 million scent receptors compared to only 5 million for you.

That means when you say “I’m fine,” your pup’s nose detects anxiety with increased cortisol.

Your Emotions Actually Change Your Scent

It’s true your dog smells a change in your emotions.

A change in emotions changes your chemistry.

Whether you admit it or not, when you feel:

Stressed, your cortisol increases
Anxious, your adrenaline production rises
Happy, your feel-good hormones (dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin) get a boost

These may seem and feel like tiny changes to you.

But to your dog, it’s a big flashing neon sign.

Your Dog Uses Scent to Connect the Dots

Your dog doesn’t just notice a weird scent change.

Your pup associates the hormonal changes with certain behaviors. Even better, your buddy knows what it means.

Dogs are great at recognizing patterns and knowing what will happen next.

So, if you get stressed when you argue with a friend and grab the quart of Rocky Road, your dog remembers.

Your buddy can go from sleuth to support in seconds, even before you realize or accept the emotion you’re feeling.

My dog, Henry, knows when I’m more stressed. He’ll shadow me and want to sit next to me. He knows petting him helps both of us.

You’re Always Giving Away Your Emotional State (Sorry)

If you think you’re great at hiding how you’re feeling, don’t fool yourself.

Your dog knows differently. He knows your patterns, and he’s always watching and smelling to connect the dots.

Your pup knows the cues of your emotional state with:

Scents
Visual actions
Behavioral patterns

Honestly, your dog has a better read on your mood than most people.
He can detect changes with:

Your tone of voice
Your hurried actions
Your pacing
Your rapid breathing
Your shift in energy
You can’t hide it from your best buddy.

Why Your Dog Reacts the Way He Does

Once your dog figures out how you’re feeling, he doesn’t just sit there.

When your dog recognizes the pattern, he reacts in the way he thinks is best.

You might notice your dog suddenly:

Sticking to you like a shadow
Demanding extra snuggles
Pacing or acting restless
Watching you more closely than usual

Your dog isn’t being weird or naughty. 

He’s just incredibly tuned into you.

Can You Actually Hide Your Emotions From Your Dog?

You might try.

But it won’t work.

Even if you think you’ve masked your anxiety, your dog knows better.

You can’t hide your emotions from your dog any better than you can hide his favorite cookie from him.

Your pup tunes into scent and behavioral changes, which can’t be tucked away in a drawer.

The Bottom Line on Dogs Smelling Your Emotions

Henry knows that dogs can smell your emotions

It might feel like your dog is psychic, but he’s really just being a dog.

Your pup uses his nose and visual observations to know what is really going on with you.

The next time your dog gives you that certain look, suddenly wants to cuddle, or turns into a Velcro shadow, he’s not guessing.

Dogs can smell your emotions in ways most of us don’t understand.

Fun Dog Fact: Dogs can be trained to pick up on changes in scents. This allows service dogs to alert their humans before a panic attack or other medical problems happen.