If you are like most people, you have probably wondered how dog food manufacturers can get away with claiming their food is delicious. After all, dogs can't exactly offer food reviews. But it turns out they don't have to. When it comes to taste, it's more about smell for dogs.
1,700 Taste Buds vs. 9,000
An analysis of your dog's tongue would reveal roughly 1,700 taste buds. That may sound impressive, but compared to humans—who have about 9,000 taste buds—dogs have a far less sophisticated sense of taste.
Where dogs win is in their sense of smell. A dog can smell up to 100,000 times better than a human. Their exceptional noses can detect scents we can't even imagine.
Interestingly, dogs also have a special organ along their palette called the vomeronasal organ, which allows them to "smell taste." For dogs, smelling food and tasting it are closely intertwined, which explains why aroma plays such a big role in their enjoyment of meals.
Why Dogs Love the Garbage Can
To humans, garbage is just that—garbage. It smells foul, and we want nothing to do with it. But dogs experience the world differently.
When your dog picks up odors from the garbage, he’s essentially tasting with his nose. To him, anything that smells interesting (even if we find it repulsive) must also taste good. This is why dogs will happily scavenge through trash cans, countertops, or leftovers.
For dogs, smell determines taste, which is why enticing aromas are key to creating a food they’ll love.
Cooking Methods Impact Flavor
The way dog food is processed and cooked significantly affects its flavor and aroma. For example:
- Dry Kibble: Traditional kibble is cooked at high temperatures, which strips much of the food’s natural flavors and scents. To make up for this, manufacturers often add flavoring and smell enhancers after it is extruded and cooked which give the food the distinctive “dog food” smell.
- Cold-Pressed Dog Food: By contrast, cold-pressed dog food is processed at low temperatures. This preserves the food’s natural ingredients, flavors, and aromas so no additional flavorings need to be added after it is cold-pressed.
At Nextrition, we combine real meats, healthy grains, fruits, and vegetables with our gentle cold-pressing process to retain maximum flavor and nutrition. The result? A food that smells amazing to your dog—and tastes great too!
Taste Is All About the Nose
For dogs, taste and smell go hand in hand. If food smells good, your dog will most likely think it tastes good too. That’s why feeding a high-quality food like Nextrition cold-pressed dog food, with its natural ingredients and rich aroma, can make all the difference—especially for picky eaters.
Next time you wonder if your dog’s food is really delicious, trust his nose. If he’s eager at mealtime and licking his bowl clean, that’s all the review you need!
