Top 5 dogs with the best sense of smell

Reviewed by Dr Jill McMaster BVM&S MBA MRCVS, Veterinary Surgeon and in-house expert at BorrowMyDoggy on 25 May 2023

Do you sniff that? It’s our list of dog breeds with the best sense of smell in the world. These dogs could trace your lunchbox from miles away.

Bloodhounds

They have a top-notch nose with 230 million scent receptors. As champion sniffers, they can track scents on the ground and in the air. Learn more about Bloodhounds here.

Basset Hounds

Their long ears sweep scent from the ground up to their nose. The dewlap, a fold under their chin, will trap scents near their nose. Learn more about Basset Hounds here.

Beagles

Beagles are driven by their sense of smell. They’ve been trained to detect over 50 different scents. Learn more about Beagles here.

German Shepherds

They track scents in the air, rather than the ground. With a powerful nose, they excel in police drug detection. Learn more about German Shepherds here.

German Shorthaired Pointers

They are intense hunters and move quickly along a scent trail. Uniquely, they’ll follow a smell in silence with their head up. Learn more about Pointers here.

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