Vet Approved 2025: 10 Surprising Things Your Dog Can Sense 🐶🔬

By Dr. Duncan Houston BVSc

We know dogs have incredible noses, but their senses go far beyond just sniffing out food or hearing the doorbell. Dogs are finely tuned to the world—and to us. As a veterinarian, I regularly hear pet parents marvel at their dog’s uncanny ability to react to moods, predict illnesses, or anticipate weather changes. And science is starting to catch up. 🐾

This guide explores 10 surprising things your dog can sense—how they do it, what it means for your relationship, and how to support their sensitivity with help from Ask A Vet. 🩺

1. ❤️ Your Emotions

• 🐶 Dogs read body language, facial expressions, and even smell emotional changes
• 📉 They respond to your sadness, anger, or stress—sometimes more strongly than people do
  

2. 🩺 Illness or Disease

• 👃 Dogs can detect changes in sweat, breath, or skin from illnesses
• 🧪 Studies show dogs can detect cancer, seizures, hypoglycemia, and even COVID-19
• 📱 If your dog acts unusually persistent with a part of your body, consult Ask A Vet or your physician

3. 🤰 Pregnancy

• 👃 Dogs notice hormonal changes, posture shifts, and routine changes
• 💡 Some dogs become more protective, clingy, or anxious
  

4. 🧠 Mental Health Shifts

• 💔 Dogs often sense depression, anxiety, or PTSD symptoms in their humans
• 🧠 Their response includes staying close, offering touch, or increased alertness

5. 🌩️ Weather Changes & Storms

• ⚡ Dogs may sense changes in barometric pressure, static electricity, or even hear distant thunder
• 🐕 Common signs: hiding, panting, pacing before storms arrive
  

6. 📆 Routine Changes

• 🗓️ Dogs know when you’re late or changing routines—even subtly
  

7. 😟 Seizures or Medical Events

• 🧬 Seizure-alert dogs can detect oncoming seizures via scent and behavior
• 📣 Some dogs even learn to alert their owners before episodes

8. 🧬 Hormonal Shifts (Menstruation, Ovulation)

• 👃 Dogs notice hormone changes in scent and behavior
• 🐾 This may cause increased sniffing, clinginess, or interest

9. 🧭 Direction & Distance

• 🐾 Dogs have magnetic receptors that may help them navigate
• 🎯 Studies show some dogs orient themselves to the Earth's magnetic field during elimination or searching

10. 🧍 Stranger Danger or “Bad Energy”

• ⚠️ Dogs can react to body language, tone, and scent that signal discomfort or threat
• 🧠 While not supernatural, their detection skills often outperform ours

📱 When to Use Ask A Vet

• 🧠 If your dog suddenly changes behavior with no obvious cause
• 🤒 If they persistently sniff one part of your body or act unusually alert
• 😟 For guidance on stress signs, seizures, or anxiety triggers

🧠 How to Support Sensitive Dogs

 📱 Ask A Vet for Behavioral or Neurological Changes

✅ Final Thoughts: Dogs Sense the World Differently—And Beautifully

From storms to sorrow, illness to instincts—your dog is more in tune than you might think. Understanding and supporting their unique abilities not only strengthens your bond, but also helps you respond to their signals with care. 🐶❤️

Quick Recap:

• 🧠 Dogs can sense emotion, illness, pregnancy, storms, and more
• 📱 Use Ask A Vet for unexplained behavior or wellness checks

Need help interpreting your dog’s behavior? Visit AskAVet.com. 🐾