These scent-trailing pros with their long ears and powerful noses could outshine even the best perfumers of France. Their sense of smell is so sharp that they can detect treats from remarkable distances and won’t miss a chance to claim their reward.
Ranked among the most intelligent animals in the animal kingdom, these dogs combine keen sight, hearing, and incredible scenting ability. They can sense human emotions, offer comfort with affectionate nudges, and even detect danger or fear through scent.
Originally bred as hunting companions and expert trackers, these dogs excel in search and rescue, police work, and airport security. With far more olfactory receptors than humans, they can sniff out evidence, track suspects, or detect substances in moments.
If you’re searching for a breed with exceptional scenting skills, whether for work or as a loyal companion, read on to discover the top dogs for scent-related jobs and family life.
9 Dog Breeds With Best Sense Of Smell
1. Basset Hound
These scent hounds have long ears and short stubby legs, loose skin around their neck which fits like a cape, and sweet pleading eyes that give these pooches an adorable puppy face. You cannot ignore or resist the sad eyes of these pooches. It is believed the Basset Hound is second only to the Bloodhound in its scenting ability and nose strength.
VCA Animal Hospitals says the large nose on their faces is a priceless feature because it aids the basset’s tracking and trailing ability. These pups are an integral part of hunting parties and will often be seen proving their mettle as important detectives, assisting in police work, and helping their owners in everyday life to find their missing things.
These pooches enjoy leisurely walks in the woods and bonding time with their owners. Hence, make sure these pups are well tended to.
These hounds were originally bred in Great Britain and France as a short-legged breed of scent hound that can hunt small game like rabbits and hares. The basset hound is the descendant of the now extinct French basset breeds.
They make great house and family pets that get along well with children because of their gentle and sociable nature. These pups are uniquely slow-paced dogs but have an endurance to hunt and track scent for long distances and hours on end.
2. Beagle
Have you ever seen the interesting movie by DreamWorks Animation Studios named “Mr peabody and Sherman”? You can recognize the ever-intelligent and genius white beagle in this cool, adventurous science fiction. Yes, you heard that right. Beagles are famous for their loving personalities, incredible sniffing qualities, and scent work.
Pawlicy Advisor affirms these usually dual colored and tri-colored companion dogs have the same number of olfactory receptors as German shepherds, which are renowned for being versatile heroes that can excel at any job. These pooches hunt in packs, and you would be shocked to know these small pups have a 90% success ratio in detecting contraband, drugs, and food items at airports.
These pups can track suspects and fugitives and are an example of bravery and loyalty. You’ll find these tiny hunters to be incredibly useful in search and rescue operations, where they locate missing people like mini geniuses. They are excellent at detecting illegal substances.
But you will be amazed to know that your beagle can even detect disease and has a natural gift of knowing something that even high-tech machines and lab testing cannot detect sooner.
Because these floppy-eared pooches have shown remarkable accuracy in identifying the scent of certain serious diseases, which helps a ton because if patient know early on about their condition, they have a better chance at fighting and winning against such vile diseases like cancers and tumors.
3. Bloodhounds
Bloodhounds have 300 million olfactory receptors, which make them the world’s best scent hound. These pooches can literally sense and smell the change in the atmosphere.
These sneaky and clever pup has a magnificent man-trailing ability and are so popular and reliable that their evidence is also accepted in the courts of law. These pups can not only follow and sniff scent on the ground, but their nose can even traverse the air and catch on to scent carried by the wind.
Purina states that these pooches that have been used as evidence providers in court cases are gentle giants that form strong bonds even with their handlers and trainers, who train these pooches in a controlled environment to enhance their scenting abilities and sniffing skills.
Moreover, their unyielding attitude, desire, and drive to work are factors that make these dogs wonderful companion dogs and hunting partners.
Scent detection is a job that bloodhounds can do even in their sleep, and these pooches beat other breeds in trailing and tracking by a huge margin. This pooch is an ultimate dog breed with the best sense of smell and has excellent scent receptors.
4. Belgian Malinois
Are you an avid traveller or wanderer who loves to roam and explore the world? If it’s true, then you must have seen this beautiful and versatile pooch with airport security or at land borders and customs clearance centers, where these majestic and smart canines are often seen sniffing luggage and essentials carried by travelers.
Omlet says the Belgian Malinois has 225 million scent receptors and is used by police and military forces for its keen sense of smell. These pups are often mistaken for a German Shepherd due to their similar looks, build, and temperament, but can be recognized by a dog enthusiast easily.
These Belgian pups have an abundance of scent receptors, which helps them in detecting illegal substances, like drugs, narcotics, and contraband in luggage, and can also help in tracking down missing people or even runaway fugitives.
5. Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retrievers are used in search and rescue missions as well as for detecting explosives and narcotics. These pooches are the most popular breed on this list, which also has an incredible talent for hunting, retrieving, and scent work.
When these pups place their nose on the ground and start sniffing around, you can judge whether some mischief is in the works, and they are trying to find a bone they buried, or they are following a scent trail of a stranger or predator on your home ground.
The Continental Kennel Club says Labrador retrievers are versatile pups who can work in the military and police forces, determine a prime suspect or clue among the rubble, or detect danger from afar, because of their protective nature.
These pooches have 225 million scent receptors in their nose and have all the ideal traits required for a hunting companion and a family pet. Labradors will often be seen enjoying their time playing with the kids when their off duty or standing vigilantly in the night as guardians and protectors of your homestead.
However, if you want to harness their full scenting ability, you can hire a professional trainer for detection dogs who can test their skills and enhance them by making them practice in a controlled environment.
6. Dachshund
This tiny sausage has a loud voice and personality, but did you ever think these pups have the superpower of 125 million scent receptors? These small, black and tan small and healthy dogs hail from Germany and are also known for their exceptional scent work. Dachshunds typically have a long body, short legs, yet a good nose that can sniff trouble and disaster from long distances.
These small pups accompany owners on important scent-related jobs like all the other breeds mentioned here. Their contribution is pivotal in the courts of justice, to law enforcement agencies, and even at homes where you completely forgot where you placed your car keys.
Dachshunds are extremely loyal and friendly pups that get along well with their handlers and, if trained properly, can be a big security asset at your home.
These pooches are known to be alert dogs and are also known for their impeccable tracking and chasing of badgers through the lush green German forests. They were originally bred to sniff out, flush out, and chase other burrow-dwelling animals like badgers, and are quite competent at their job.
7. Black and Tan Coonhound
If you ever get lost in the deep, dark forbidden forest, hope and pray for a black and tan coonhound to cross your path and way. Because this magical breed is called out when all sense and reasoning go out the window and everything else fails.
They detect the ‘cold trail’ that no other person or pup can find. They are exceptional dogs with around 200 million scent receptors and can detect scents even in the silence and darkness of the night.
However many other factors also come into play, making them excellent scent and hunting hounds like their intelligence, responsiveness and passion towards their work, their reserved nature towards strangers and protective attitude towards owners and their genetic predispositions which they have inherited from their ancestors like the bloodhounds and the black and tan virginia fox hound.
Britannica says you’ll either find these furry companions chilling and basking under the sunlight, snuggling up to their loved ones in the warmth of the fireside, or actively trailing the scent of a mischievous raccoon with laser focus and determination.
These hunting dogs can also be used in search and rescue operations, and are also capable of saving damsels in distress. Hence, never underestimate their nose, you ordinary humans.
8. Bluetick Coonhound
These pups are bestowed with 220 million olfactory receptors by the gods and were developed in Louisiana, by crossing the Grand Bleu de Gascogne hound of southwestern France, as well as the English Foxhound, the cur dog, the American Foxhound, and the Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound all together to make a smart and speedy champion.
Their name comes from black ticks on the white base coat and background, which seems like navy blue coloring.
PetMD says these dashing and sturdy hunters have a melodious bark and an incredibly powerful nose that can detect even the faintest of scents. These exceptional nighttime navigators and search and rescue dogs are also used by the military and police forces for important operations. These Coonhounds can track scents over vast distances, particularly in rough conditions and rugged terrains.
So ask yourself, do you love the great outdoors and want to be an outdoor enthusiast? If your heart says yes, then make sure to take this dynamite sidekick, who has a friendly demeanor, a cold nose, and a deep bawl mouth. This true-blue American will act as your saviour and protector among wildlife.
9. English Springer Spaniel
These slightly large spaniels are another great hunter and springer who help the hunting company immensely with their sharp instincts and clever tricks. They are known for springing the prey out into the open sight of hunters who then take an easy shot at their prey and save much time and trouble in the wild.
Ideal for family life, these pups are smart and affectionate companions and are great tools in all lines of work and diverse industries, from biosecurity to police work. These dogs are exceptional scent dogs with a strong nose that have a high trainability that can be utilized in a wise manner for important scent work.
AKC describes the history of these pups, and you would be shocked to know these English springer spaniels are avidly used as detection dogs that sniff above the rest, can be trained to detect diverse odors such as explosives and narcotics in prison cells, and also for sniffing out illegal immigrants.
These bird and gun dogs were originally developed in the mid-19th century from the Norfolk and Shropshire Spaniels. These pooches have long, beautiful coats and a distinctive appearance that also matches the popular American Cocker Spaniel. These pups with their exceptional sense of smell are used as sniffer dogs, but were initially developed and used for retrieving and flushing out game.
Conclusion
On an ending note, these pups are true magicians and superheroes who alert their owners to even a tiny amount of drugs and explosive material, and are alone responsible for saving millions of lives every day. Although these pups require professional explosive detection dog trainers and handlers to get trained for essential ground work.
These pooches are precious for the perseverance and prosperity of humans, from bloodhounds that are the best sniffing champions among all canines on this planet to the German Shepherds that have 225 million scent receptors in their noses and are known for their magnificent detection and tracking skills.
All these pups are unique in their ability and can prove to be incredibly helpful in covering the ground when disaster strikes. These bloodhounds and dachshunds help in preventing bomb threats, and also serve as research tools by wildlife biologists.
