why do dogs smell food before taking it? do they think we are trying to poison them lol

[the donald]

they think nothing of smelling butts, but lets smell the food

[Lian Gooden]

yes i am glad, lol idk about u but i don't want to be stuck walking around smelling other people's butts, lol. although it is basically natural for dogs, i still wish there was a less disgusting way they could find out these sorts of things.

[Lian Gooden]

idk why they smell the food, maybe they want to see whether or not they want to eat it, so if they don't they can go and be a bother and try and scab some of our food instead. lol, i'm kidding, i'm not calling dogs scabs, cause they're not, but i think it might be because dogs have a strong sense of smell so they can probably smell things in the food that we can't and they smell because they like to smell all those different smells. idk if that's why they do it, but i think it might be.

[Delilah]

Dogs and cats have a keen sense of smell, way more performing than human’s, but on the other hand, their sense of taste is less well developped. Nevertheless, they use it for:
- testing the palatability of offered food, refusing some,
- stimulating the salivary, gastric and pancreatic secretions.
http://www.petngarden.com/dogs/dogs49.php It's just a page.

Another said their taste is fine. Example: They taste the sour pill you gave them and spit it out.
My dog (sub f) never smells crotches; my friends dogs (dom m) smells mine every time. I haven't read anything to support this is a trend. Anyone else?

[bams481]

no, ive seen dogs, sub or dom, male or female, to smell butts and crotches. i dunno what thats all about

[Bullies2Love]

When they smell butts or crotches they are determining what sex you are as we give off a sent.

[Melissa B]

my chihuahua plays with his kibble, one at a time until he decides to crunch it up and eat it. I keep saying I have to get him on video doing it one day but never get around to it. Apparently its instinct, he thinks he's killing his kibble when in fact hes simply throwing it around the entire room lmao.

[Bullies2Love]

Here is one for you Donald to answer. Why do dogs walk around in circles 3 times before laying down or to even leave a chit?

To your question, don't you smell your food before eating? If it smells good, perhaps it tastes good.

[Pierce]

Don this is a funny discussion! Ha, Ha, I know Bullies, I'll watch em turn around in circles then lay down & do the "Final Sigh" before they drift off. And that darn Binky will walk around for 20 minutes before he finds the perfect spot to do his morning ritual. AND little Patch goes straight out without hesitating, does his thing, walks 10 feet, does it again, then another 10 feet & does it a third time....Makes me jealous, wish I could do that!!!

[Bullies2Love]

Max, walks and chits at the same time? LOL! No need to leave everything in a neat pile...just spread the wealth all over the dam yard making it a land mine field.

[Pierce]

Bullies:

Ha! And Binky will stretch forward to take a pee then without moving a paw, lean backward to poop

[Belles]

Pierce.. lol, that is very efficient!

[Bullies2Love]

Pierce, what a lazy animal. LOL!