Inspired by the “Nose Knows” by Michael Mountain in Best Friends Magazine, January 2023.
How do animals experience the Earth? There are remarkable events occurring in the animal kingdom. We are centered in the human, species but nonhuman animals experience the world in ways that are extremely different from humans. We know this, but do we? You know that dogs use their nose as the primary way to explore the world around them. What if we understood that dog's sensitivity to smells is probably about 100,000 times more sensitive than humans? That may not surprise you until you think about it—then it will surprise you greatly!
Think about it this way. You walk into a veterinarian’s waiting room, look around and see a couple of people and animals waiting. Your dog immediately knows not only who was in the room now but who and what was in the room an hour ago, a day ago, and maybe a month ago. They know what people had for lunch; whether they're healthy; whether they're anxious; whether they've been there earlier in the day; where they sat; what they did; and more. Remember... 100,000 times more than we can smell.
When you consider the implications of this and begin to play out in your mind how dogs perceive the world around them it becomes truly astonishing. Consider that the same is true for every species. Each one has a unique set of sensory abilities. The animal's perception of the world is guided by senses that are simply not available to us; giving them an experience of the world that is quite different from ours. We barely understand what animals know. The Earth provides a multitude of experiences: sights, textures, sounds, vibrations, smells, tastes, static electric and magnetic fields. These are parallel worlds.
How do birds perceive the world? The human eye is always looking at what's in front of us. Birds have eyes on the sides of their heads. A mallard duck's visual field is completely panoramic. Perhaps even more unimaginable is the world of a jumping spider with 8 eyes. They track movements, where to look to get more detail, to the side and behind.
However, many animals hardly use their eyes at all—consider ECHOLOCATION. Bats are not “blind as a bat”. Dolphins, orcas and whales can sense through water. Humans have one simple neural pathway that goes from each ear to the auditory center of the brain. Dolphins however have two neural pathways from each ear. One goes to the auditory center. The other goes to an area that is near the visual center. (The data is likely processed and displayed on a “monitor”).
Animals are gifted with an extension of senses that we have lost or never attained. They are not underlings; they are completely different nations caught with us in the net of life and time. They travel with us as fellow journeyers of the splendor of the Earth. Go ahead... have a deep respect and curiosity for all of the other species of animals on the Earth. It's a better world because of animals. Kindness to animals has benefits. It is a good idea to experience great love for all species—they mostly seem to love humans.
11/16/25