The dog's nose is a wonder. You can observe this easily by watching any dog at work. Dogs trained to track perform feats that no other animal - including humans - could possibly do. The dog's nose can discern between twin children with pinpoint accuracy.

When you go out to walk your dog, give him plenty of time to do his sniffing. I call it "picking up his pee-mail." Dogs read the events of their neighborhood in the bushes from house to house. Some dogs are incredibly enthusiastic about picking up all this information. This probably depends on how territorial they are, but it is a rare dog that does not care about gathering the day's stories by scent.

Let's dispel the greatest myth about the dog's nose right here and now. Many people claim that if a dog's nose is cold and wet, it means he is healthy. If it's dry, he has a fever. Ask your veterinarian - chances are she will tell you this is not a good way to judge the health of your dog. The nose reflects the outside temperature and humidity more than the internal medical condition of the dog. If it's a hot, dry day, don't expect your dog's nose to be cool and wet. To check for fever, you are better off remembering that dogs have a normal body temperature between 100 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, and if you feel the underside of the ears they will often feel hot to you. Check this when you know your dog is healthy to get a sense of what is normal. Then you will be able to tell better if your dog indeed has a fever.

If your dog is a short-nosed breed, you must pay special attention to her diet and exercise. When the short-nosed breeds are fat and overfed, they become much more susceptible to asthma and other respiratory difficulties. Some of the cold-weather breeds such as Huskies have a tendency to have a cracked and dry nose. Your vet can provide you with appropriate ointment for this uncomfortable problem your dog is experiencing.

Other common problems to watch out for where your dog's nose is concerned are foxtail pieces and other debris nature leaves lying around. If your dog is sneezing consistently for a period of time, take precautions to find out what is going on. A foxtail can become lodged in the nasal cavity and you will need a vet to remove it. Please don't try to remove a foxtail from your dog's nose yourself! Other reasons for sneezing include simply responding to a lot of dust in the environment or the presence of mild allergies. Give your dog a break from the dust by keeping your home environment as clean as possible, especially during the times of year when allergies and dust are a problem for everyone.