Some say that the smell of dog is one of the best things in the world. That soft, warm and slightly sweet aroma that puppies have seems to have an instant relaxing effect. And there are even some practical and biological reasons why they smell so good in the early stages of life.
As with human babies, puppies have their own unique smell in the first few weeks. They still don’t sweat or produce strong odors like adult dogs, they move little, they spend most of their time sleeping and their bodies are, so to speak, brand new.
Then there is the scent of the nest. In the first few weeks, the puppy lives practically glued to its mother. She breastfeeds frequently, sleeps against her, shares her body heat and the smell of her milk. Added to this is the smell of blankets or beds, almost always in a sheltered, cozy and warm place. This mixture of milk, heat and rest ends up becoming embedded in the fur.
The glands responsible for body odor are also still in “baby mode”. Dogs have glands in their skin and paws that release scents used to communicate with other dogs. In puppies, these glands are still not very active and produce different secretions than in an adult dog, which makes the odor much more discreet and, for our nose, much more pleasant.
But it’s not just them who do their part, our brain also helps. Smells associated with babies, whether human or other species, activate areas linked to affection, protection and feelings of reward. It’s a very clever trick of nature to make us protect the little ones. So when we stick our nose into a dog’s head and melt, it’s not just cute, it’s also biology at work.
Basically, puppies smell so good because they are the perfect combination of baby, cozy environment and a trick of nature to make us fall in love at the first sniff. And, let’s be honest, it works perfectly. Just smell a dog’s head and suddenly you’re ready to say “I’ll take care of you forever”.