When we think of some of the things our dogs choose to eat, we wonder if they have any taste buds at all. Of course they do, but not nearly as many taste buds as we humans. We have about 9,000 and when compared to a dog who has merely 1,700, we can understand why our tastes are more discerning than theirs. It’s possible that their limited sense of what we believe tastes good contributes to dogs eating things we find disgusting.
Dogs depend on their far superior sense of smell to make food attractive rather than taste. Some dog breeds have more scent glands than others, but the average is 125 million to a human’s mere 5 million.
Dog usually don’t like bitter tastes which sometimes helps them avoid poisons. It also creates a challenge when giving them medication.
Due to the dog’s poorer sense of taste, they may not be able to tell which foods are good for them and which are harmful. For example our dogs depend on us to remove food that is spoiled or rotted.
Check our list of foods and plants that are poisonous to dogs. And be sure to feed them a wholesome diet that is species appropriate.
