Could dogs' ability to smell help people with PTSD?

Image Credits: UnsplashImage Credits: Unsplash
  • Dogs have an extraordinary sense of smell, capable of detecting stress and trauma in humans.
  • Studies show that dogs can distinguish between relaxed and stressed human breath and sweat samples with high accuracy.
  • Early detection of stress markers by dogs could lead to more effective interventions for PTSD sufferers, improving their quality of life.

Dogs have long been celebrated for their extraordinary sense of smell, which is believed to be up to 10,000 times more powerful than that of humans. This remarkable ability has been harnessed in various ways, from detecting drugs and explosives to identifying certain types of cancer. Recent studies suggest that dogs can also detect stress and trauma in humans, offering a new avenue of support for individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

A dog's nose is equipped with up to 300 million scent receptors, compared to a human's 5 to 6 million. The part of a dog's brain dedicated to analyzing smells is about 40 times larger than that of a human. This incredible olfactory capability allows dogs to detect minute changes in the chemical composition of human breath and sweat, which can indicate stress or anxiety.

Dr. Clara Wilson from Queen’s University Belfast led a study that demonstrated dogs' ability to sniff out human stress. The research showed that dogs could distinguish between relaxed and stressed samples of human breath and sweat with high accuracy. "The findings show that we, as humans, produce different smells through our sweat and breath when we are stressed, and dogs can tell this apart from our smell when relaxed – even if it is someone they do not know," Wilson explained.

How Dogs Can Help PTSD Sufferers

PTSD is a debilitating condition that can arise after exposure to traumatic events. Symptoms include re-experiencing the traumatic event, hyperarousal, avoidance of reminders, and cognitive or mood disturbances. Traditional PTSD service dogs are trained to respond to behavioral and physical cues, such as crying or self-harming behaviors. However, the ability to detect stress through scent could allow dogs to intervene even earlier.

In a pilot study conducted by Dalhousie University, researchers trained dogs to recognize the scent of trauma reactions on human breath. The study involved 26 participants who provided breath samples while recalling traumatic experiences. The dogs, Ivy and Callie, were able to distinguish between stressed and non-stressed samples with up to 90% accuracy in initial tests and maintained high accuracy in subsequent trials.

Laura Kiiroja, the first author of the study, noted, "PTSD service dogs are already trained to assist people during episodes of distress. Our study showed that at least some dogs can also detect these episodes via breath". This early detection could make interventions more effective, potentially preventing the onset of severe PTSD episodes.

Real-World Applications and Future Research

The implications of these findings are significant. If dogs can be trained to detect stress markers in breath, they could provide timely interventions for PTSD sufferers, improving their quality of life. This could involve dogs alerting their owners to take preemptive measures or providing comfort before the individual is consciously aware of their rising stress levels.

Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore the specific olfactory biomarkers associated with PTSD. Future studies should involve larger sample sizes and a variety of stressful events to confirm the reliability of dogs' scent detection capabilities. Additionally, understanding the different endocrine stress markers that dogs can detect will be crucial for refining training methods.

The ability of dogs to detect stress and trauma through their sense of smell offers a promising new tool for supporting PTSD sufferers. As research continues to uncover the full potential of canine olfaction, service dogs could become even more effective in providing early interventions and improving the mental well-being of those affected by PTSD.


In Trend United States
Image Credits: Unsplash
In TrendJuly 8, 2025 at 5:00:00 PM

Do you know why the White House is white?

Some colors carry weight. The White House’s stark white facade doesn’t just catch the eye—it signals power, order, and a kind of permanence....

In Trend
Image Credits: Unsplash
In TrendJuly 8, 2025 at 5:00:00 PM

Disturbing historical facts that actually happened

We like to think the past was full of order—crowns and courts, powdered wigs and wax seals. But a quick peek into history’s...

In Trend
Image Credits: Unsplash
In TrendJuly 7, 2025 at 3:00:00 PM

Why the British drink a lot of tea

In America, tea is iced, lemoned, or politicized. In Britain, it’s none of those things. It’s a lifestyle. A shorthand. A shared code....

In Trend
Image Credits: Unsplash
In TrendJuly 6, 2025 at 1:30:00 PM

What a yellow cap on Coca-Cola really means

There are two types of Coke drinkers. The kind who grab a bottle, twist off the cap, and never think twice about it....

In Trend Europe
Image Credits: Unsplash
In TrendJuly 5, 2025 at 12:30:00 AM

Why Italy has no school shootings despite owning 8.6 million guns

Italy has 8.6 million guns. But zero school shootings. Not “few.” Not “less than other countries.” Zero. In over 12 years, that figure...

In Trend
Image Credits: Unsplash
In TrendJuly 4, 2025 at 9:00:00 PM

What Black Lives Matter really means

It didn’t begin with an institution. No launch plan. No boardroom consensus. No marketing campaign. Black Lives Matter started with a Facebook post—raw,...

In Trend
Image Credits: Unsplash
In TrendJuly 4, 2025 at 3:00:00 PM

The Gaza peace paradox: Why reconciliation without recognition will fail

Just weeks after burying my six-year-old niece Juri—killed in Gaza by an Israeli airstrike—I found myself speaking at a peace conference in Paris....

In Trend
Image Credits: Unsplash
In TrendJuly 4, 2025 at 1:30:00 AM

How hurricanes get their names

Hurricanes are like uninvited guests that refuse to be forgotten. You don’t just remember the chaos. You remember the name. Katrina. Harvey. Sandy....

In Trend
Image Credits: Unsplash
In TrendJuly 2, 2025 at 4:00:00 PM

What that hollow lollipop stick really does

Some of the best design stories hide in plain sight. Like the humble lollipop stick. It seems so ordinary, so unchanging, that you’d...

In Trend
Image Credits: Unsplash
In TrendJuly 2, 2025 at 1:30:00 PM

This is why Canadians drink milk out of bags

If you’ve ever opened a Canadian fridge and spotted a clear, floppy plastic pouch of milk sitting in a pitcher, you might wonder...

In Trend Middle East
Image Credits: Unsplash
In TrendJuly 2, 2025 at 1:00:00 PM

How food aid turned deadly in Gaza

As Israel opened a military front against Iran in June 2025, another warline persisted within Gaza—one far less visible on battlefield maps but...

In Trend
Image Credits: Unsplash
In TrendJuly 1, 2025 at 2:30:00 PM

What is colorism and why it still hurts within our own communities

There’s a kind of bias that rarely makes the headlines but quietly shapes everything from dating preferences to job interviews. It whispers in...

Load More