Scenting and tasting?

• Scenting and tasting? houndlove Posted : 1/2/2007 1:48:07 PM For anyone who knows more about scent work than me, is it normal for a dog to also taste various parts of the terrain to gain information? I ask because Marlowe is forever tasting things--blades of grass, acorns, leaves, sticks. He isn't necissarily eating them, just tasting and spitting out, or licking/nibbling a little bit of a patch of grass. If we're on a tracking outing, he'll double back to a spot to take a taste and then continue on. It really looks to me as if he's tracking by taste as well as scent. Am I way off base there? Do dogs do that? LIKE 3 REPLIES 113 VIEWS LAST POST XEPH Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• jjsmom06 Posted : 1/2/2007 1:58:20 PM Houndlove…I think they do use taste to assist with scent…if I remember correctly they (like cats) pull scent into their mouth…especially if it is an especially "good” smell to them.  My cats do that all the time and JJ loves to smell Prudence's "private areas” [8|] and won't just sniff, but will lick, then drool and foam at the mouth and chatter his teeth.  A month or two ago someone posted what that response is called…I think it begins with an "f”…but not sure. I have seen both my dogs do this when we camp and there are lots of great animal smells…Prudence doesn't always remember she is a sight hound and sometimes thinks she hunts by scent and when she gets going on a good track, she will lick the ground and plants quite often along the way…   0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• jjsmom06 Posted : 1/2/2007 2:05:00 PM Houndlove...found the "f" word I was looking for. It is the "flemen response" and Gina was the one who mentioned it awhile back. I looked it up online and there are some sites that discuss more about the "scent" being brought into the mouth per Gina's response below...          This is the flemen response...seen also in cats and horses...grimacing, lip curling, teeth chattering, foaming. It all serves to get that scent up to the special organ of jacobs in the roof of the mouth. Just thought I'd throw that in there in case someone wanted to check further....it's an interesting subject for when you're bored lol! 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Xeph Posted : 1/2/2007 3:20:57 PM Yes, it is normal.  When watching many dogs do utility work, dogs that aren't as sure of themselves will often "mouth" the dumbbells (one or two and they can't decide on) to make sure they are correct.  Judges do not (and should not) penalize for this as long as this response is not excessive.  My friend Cathy has a Sheltie, Bandit, who has gained a good deal of confidence since she got him (he's a rescue), and he is often a bit unsure of his articles.  He'll lick and mouth two or three he's trying to decide on while he works the pile before he comes back with one.         0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login