After sending out a survey to my Proud Dog Mom newsletter subscribers, I discovered that 65% of readers take the time to make homemade treats for their dogs. That’s amazing! While I’m a huge fan of making healthy pup snacks at home, do our canine companions actually savor the taste of our creations? Short answer: Yes! Although, their sense of taste isn’t nearly as powerful as it is for us humans.
Dog Taste Buds vs. Human Taste Buds
Dogs have taste buds on their tongue, around their mouth, and in the back of their throat. But, they don’t have nearly as many as we do. Humans have approximately 9,000 taste buds, while dogs have around 1,700. So their sense of taste is only about one-sixth as powerful as ours. While the flavors may not be as prominent to our canine companions, research shows dogs do share the same four taste classifications as we do:
- Sweet – Not only can dogs taste sweet things, but many even have a preference for it!
- Salty – Compared to people, dogs can’t taste salt very well. It’s reportedly because their ancestral diet, packed with meat, already provided sufficient sodium to satisfy their body’s need for it without having to seek it out.
- Sour – Dogs can detect sourness, which helps them avoid spoiled or rotten foods that might be harmful.
- Bitter – Dogs are quite sensitive to bitter tastes. This sensitivity likely evolved as a defense mechanism to avoid toxic or harmful substances.
Extra Taste Buds
Unlike people, dogs have special taste buds found at the tip of their tongue that react specifically to water. So plain old H2O likely isn’t tasteless for dogs, as it is for us. These special taste buds are more sensitive after dogs eat salty or sugary foods. It’s believed this encourages our dogs to hydrate after eating certain foods that may make them dehydrated.
When it Comes to What a Dog Eats, Though, it’s Not All About Taste
Aside from flavor and texture, experts say smell plays a large role in what our dogs eat. If something smells interesting or appealing, chances are your dog will go in for a few bites. You see, dogs have a very powerful sniffer. In fact, depending on the breed, dogs have an estimated 125 million sensory glands in the nose (that’s way more than the 5-10 million that humans have). According to the AKC: “Smell and taste are very closely related, and dogs can actually taste foods through their sense of smell with a special organ along the dog’s palate.” This is exactly why dogs wag their tail for fresh and aromatic foods!
Feeding Fido: How to Enhance Your Pup’s Meals
Given our dog’s taste profile, and their strong reliance on smell when eating, there are a few ways to make your dog’s meals more enjoyable for them:
- Variety in Taste: Imagine eating the same cereal day in and day out … for the rest of your life. Sounds pretty boring, right? Not only does a diet full of variety keep our taste buds intrigued, but it also broadens the spectrum of nutrients we absorb. Here’s the thing … Just like we enjoy an array of food options, so do our canine companions. Enter: Rotational feeding. Try filling your pup’s bowl with a variety of proteins, veggies, fruits, and other whole-food ingredients.
- Variety in Texture: Dogs appreciate different textures in their food, which can make meals more interesting and enjoyable.
- Incorporating Tasty Liquids: Adding bone broth or goat’s milk to your dog’s meals will not only boost the moisture content (which is key), but it can also enhance the aroma. Remember: Foods that offer a stronger smell can help make them more palatable for your pup.
- Add Tail-Wagging Smells to Their Bowl: Certain foods, like sardines, will add an enticing smell to your pup’s bowl … while also boosting the nutritional value!
- Temperature Matters: Warm food tends to release more aromatic compounds, making it more appealing to dogs.
- Pay Attention to Expiration Dates and Proper Storage Tips: As foods age, they lose their enticing aroma, satisfying flavor, and nutritional value. Find out how to properly store kibble HERE.
Feeding Senior Fido
As your pooch ages, his senses can weaken. That means he may not be able to smell and taste as well as he once did. So, if senior Fido doesn’t seem as driven to his food bowl as he once was, try offering him food choices that have a stronger aroma. Stimulate his sniffer and you just may stimulate his urge to eat! (Let me just mention that I am talking about taste buds here, not medical conditions. So if your senior pooch has stopped eating and you think something is wrong, definitely see your vet).
