Can dogs really SMELL when we’re scared?

MANY of us are familiar with the saying that animals can smell when we’re scared - but is there actually any truth in it?

The adage is particularly applicable when dealing with those who are scared of dogs, with many reckoning that our canine companions are capable of sensing when we’re scared of them.

While it is indeed a long standing theory, the answer to whether or not dogs (and other animals) can smell or sense our fear is both ‘yes’ and ‘no’.

After conducting years of laboratory and field research into canine smell, decided to provide some insight into the matter.

He said: "It is possible that a fear reaction changes human chemistry in ways that dogs might detect.

"If this were true, individual dogs might well learn to detect it without explicit training because it may be to the dog's advantage to do so."

";However, I doubt that science has isolated off gassing compounds associated with fear reactions.

"I suspect it is more likely that if some dogs respond to human fear reactions it is on the basis of visual cues associated with human behaviour.

"When people are afraid, their behaviour often changes in some common ways, regardless of otherwise varying circumstances.

"For instance, our muscles usually tense up, our breathing changes, and our movements are likely to become quicker.

"Dogs are very sensitive to subtle aspects of human behaviour and are likely to respond to such changes, especially because such circumstances have in the past had a significant impact on the dog's behaviour."

So, while we do tend to sweat more when we’re afraid, which causes us to secrete certain chemicals, ‘smelling fear' is more of a handy phrase than anything else.