Can Your Dog Sense Impending Death?

Walking your beloved canine companion often involves frequent pit stops. These stops are not for rest, but for sniffing. Each pause is a dog’s way of using their nose to get a sense of the world around them. These loyal noses also have a history of empathy, from tales of refusing to leave their owners’ side after they have passed, to providing emotional support when their owners are depressed, it is clear they feel deeply.

We know that dogs are deeply emotional creatures, but could something more be happening beneath the surface? Do dogs have the ability to sense death before it comes, and if so, how? Let’s explore what science, behavior, and experience suggest about these questions.

All Knowing Nose

The nose of a dog is a complex sensory organ with approximately 300 million olfactory receptors. That’s roughly four times the amount that we have. In proportion to their total brain size, the olfactory bulb in dogs is about 40 times larger than ours. The anatomy behind these remarkable noses consists of an intricate network of parts. The most important part of a dog’s nose that helps with detecting pheromones and chemical signals is the olfactory epithelium. Inside this tissue is what is referred to as the vomeronasal organ or Jacobson’s organ.

The Jacobson’s organ is directly connected to a dog’s brain. Named after Ludvig Levin Jacobson, who studied this organ, the vomeronasal organ helps dogs understand chemical signals, or pheromones, given off by other dogs or animals. With these complex organs, dogs can detect cancer, malaria, low blood sugar, and even COVID-19 by identifying specific volatile organic compounds.

Volatile organic compounds from a diseased individual can be emitted from areas like the gut. Trained canines can pick up on these kinds of compounds. Cadaver dogs are specifically trained to identify decomposition chemicals such as cadaverine and putrescine. This training allows them to detect human remains hidden beneath soil or water. With reported success rates of up to 94% in controlled settings, it is no wonder dogs can potentially sense the subtle scent shift that happens when a loved one is nearing their end, even if we don’t yet.

The Emotional Radar

Dogs not only respond to scent, but they can also pick up on routines, emotions, and behavioral shifts. In one study, dogs approached crying people more than communicative ones. In spending so much time with our canine companions, it is no surprise that they can begin to mirror our moods, routines, and even our stress levels.

As incredibly observant animals, they are constantly paying attention to our body language, tone of voice, and shifts in behavior. Over time, they become experts at our patterns and our emotional cues. Many pet owners have the experience of their dog acting differently during times of grief, illness, or anxiety. Though it may seem like it, there is no coincidence here. Scientific studies have shown that dogs can detect changes in human cortisol levels (a key stress hormone), heart rate, and even their scent. These keen senses allow them to act as emotional mirrors, sometimes reflecting what we are feeling, other times being aware of it, and providing companionship.

What They Might Be Sensing

Though dogs might not be grasping death in the ways that we do, they can pick up on the subtle shifts that come with it. For dogs, their world is defined by observation, scents, and patterns. Therefore, when something changes, they notice.

The main culprit of this detection is scent. For instance, as the body shuts down, it releases those volatile organic compounds (VOCs). While we might miss those cues, dogs are equipped with the perfect toolkit: their noses. In other words, what we might not be able to sense at all, they could already be reacting to. Beyond scent, there are also the emotional textures that dogs can sense. For example, body language, tone of voice, and energy levels are all signals that we unintentionally send.

What Science Is Still Learning

Though science has not outright confirmed that dogs can sense death, it has not been ruled out either. As there is no true way to understand what goes on in the minds or noses of a dog, researchers still continue to explore what animals can actually perceive. One scientist and philosopher, Susana Monso, has proposed that animals may understand the concept of irreversibility: once something is gone, it does not return. However, until we can ask dogs what they understand, we can only watch how they react. And even without proof, their constant presence in our hardest moments speaks volumes to a dog’s character.

Sensing Us

So, can dogs sense death? The answer is unclear. They do, however, seem to sense us and our emotions, and respond with their presence. Whether it is due to their biology or their bond with us, something draws them in when there is a change within us. And though they might not know exactly what is happening, they are there.