SMELL

Wolves have an incredible sense of smell. Take a good long look at the nose of a wolf. What do you see?

Lets look at the picture below:

You see one big HONKER of a nose! This long nose is the secret to the wolf's amazing sense of smell. The wolf's nose is packed full of little tiny elements that the wolf uses to smell.

It is believed that wolves can smell the odor of their own kind from as far away as one and one-half miles. More if the wind is blowing in the right direction.

Humans have very poor smell. But, humans do not need to have a good sniffer. Wolves on the other hand, must to have a great sniffer.

Wolf smelling another wolf

Think about it for a moment. Why do wolves need such a great snoot? Because to them, scent marking is very important.

SCENT MARKING

Both wolves and dogs scent mark. This is like leaving a calling card.

When scent marking, a wolf will urinate on an object and then scrape the ground around the object. Both actions leave the scent of the wolf behind.

When you take your dog for a walk, what does your dog do? Your dog marks posts and rocks and all sorts of things. I know one dog that marks peoples legs. Before your dog marks these things, your dog will smell them. After your dog has sniffed a little, your dog may mark.

Wolves leave all sorts of markers in the wild. Many times these take the form of urine and feces. I know, not pretty, but if you are living in the woods and you need a way to let others know you passed by, this works.

REMEMBER:

No one really knows why wolves leave scent marks.

Many scientist believe wolves leave scents to mark their territories.

This says to wolves from other pack that they are entering a different territory. This is probably a friendly reminder.

Scientists also believe that wolves leave scent marks to tell other wolves I WAS HERE.

Scientist also believe that wolves can tell how long ago something was marked by another animal. This would be of great help in telling the wolf out wandering if a pack member is close by or if the wolf is entering another packs territory.

Bottom line is this. No one is sure just why dogs and wolves scent mark.

Maybe it helps them find food.

I am not sure I want to find this guy though.

 
OTHER USES OF SMELL

If you have ever seen a video about wolves, you may have seen a wolf slowly rise and stick its nose into the wind and start sniffing. Wolves use this technique to catch the smell of other animals. This comes in real handy when wolves are hungry and their is food just over the next mountain, but the wolves cannot see it.

Wolves also use smell to determine when it is time to have babies. When the female is ready to have babies, she puts out a smell that calls the males.

Wolves also use smell when they greet each other. you must have seen dogs smell each other when they meet. Wolves do the same thing.

The sense of smell is probably the most important sense to a wolf. From the sense of smell the wolf seems to be able to determine:

Who you are

If you have walked down a certain path

How long ago you were on that path

Which direction you were going

TIME TO ROLL GUYS.

I SMELL SOME FOOD AND I AM MAKING TRACKS TO IT.