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I don't have a clue on scent receptors and which breeds can detect scent the best. That stuff get me confused real easy so I just try to simplify it.

A Cold nosed dog is simply the one that can consistantly take (and jump) the oldest tracks. The dog that can start a track that others can't. Now if it takes more desire, brains, scent receptors or a 5th leg it doesn't really matter to me. I just try to find the ones that do it the best and then maybe see if a pup out of them can do it. There isn't any real rocket surgery behind it.

One thing that seem to add up is that you'll get more cold nosed dogs out of cold nosed parents. I don't think all will, but it seems that your odds go up. Just the law of averages I would guess.

On your original question, I don't think all dogs can smell the same. 1, it's impossible to prove until dogs learn to talk and 2, even then how would you test that. It seems that some people can smell better (or more acute) than others so I would it's the same with dogs. The trick is that it's not just the nose that sorts out tracks. It's a different mix of things which is different on each and every track.

Excellent post Cobalt.I think Dad's Dog Boy is correct that it has to do with the brain and how scent receptors influence it,but that doesn't directly correlate to intelligence.

Here's what i've noticed , the two most cold nosed dogs i had were dogs that i trained by their self's , i mean not having another dog to run with .

I believe that a dogs sense of smell varies from one dog to another, however minute it may be. That just seems like the rational answer to me. It has not a lot to do with ear length or nose size and I've seen a couple really smart dogs that could not cold trail as well as dumb ones(I thought they were dumb). I think there are drifting cold trialers and tracking cold trailers and both are effective as long as the dog can change gears as the race heats up. Natural cold trailing dogs seem to have more patience with their speed and drop their heads at an early age, but that is not how all great cold trailers start. My worry about having young tracking cold trailers is how and when they will learn to shift into higher gears. My worry with young drifting cold trailers is that they won't slow down enough to learn how to use their nose to cold trail.

All noses arnt equal, but its the drive/desire that really seperates them IMO

From what I have seen I think it varies from one dog to the next. I have seen where we have put three different dogs on one track one dog acts like there is no scent the other one tries to move the track but struggles but third dog gets on it and moves it out with very little trouble.

Do you guys really believe that one dog can not smell better than another? I have been pondering some of my hunting experiences, looking back at some of the cold nosed dogs that I have been around. I have been comparing the experience of different hounds that were full of drive, desire, and natural ability. One dog can move old tracks far better than another. Is it the dogs drive, I don't think so. You can have a dog that will give you all it has to offer, running its self into the ground, trying to grind out tracks next to dogs with more natural ability. I have owned dogs like this.

The smartest dog I think I have ever owned was far from the coldest nosed dog. She had desire, heart, brains, and caught hundreds of cats. The real deal all the way around, truck to tree. The only place this dog lacked others was on an old track. She would try her hardest to move those tracks, but couldn't do it as fast as other dogs. I am not saying she wouldn't cold trail, she did a better job than a lot of dogs. In the time I owned her I had her around a few dogs that were able to leave her in the dust on an old track. When it warmed up a little she would be right there, and stay there till it was caught.

I would be more than willing to take blame for dogs not reaching their full potential. I think my training or hunting style leaves a lot to be desired. I battle with this from time to time. But looking back at my experiences I would have a hard time believing it is the dogs heart, desire, conformation and such that makes it colder nosed. I would believe it helps but I think there is some natural ability to smell better also.

George Streepy wrote:Do you guys really believe that one dog can not smell better than another? I have been pondering some of my hunting experiences, looking back at some of the cold nosed dogs that I have been around. I have been comparing the experience of different hounds that were full of drive, desire, and natural ability. One dog can move old tracks far better than another. Is it the dogs drive, I don't think so. You can have a dog that will give you all it has to offer, running its self into the ground, trying to grind out tracks next to dogs with more natural ability. I have owned dogs like this.

The smartest dog I think I have ever owned was far from the coldest nosed dog. She had desire, heart, brains, and caught hundreds of cats. The real deal all the way around, truck to tree. The only place this dog lacked others was on an old track. She would try her hardest to move those tracks, but couldn't do it as fast as other dogs. I am not saying she wouldn't cold trail, she did a better job than a lot of dogs. In the time I owned her I had her around a few dogs that were able to leave her in the dust on an old track. When it warmed up a little she would be right there, and stay there till it was caught.

I would be more than willing to take blame for dogs not reaching their full potential. I think my training or hunting style leaves a lot to be desired. I battle with this from time to time. But looking back at my experiences I would have a hard time believing it is the dogs heart, desire, conformation and such that makes it colder nosed. I would believe it helps but I think there is some natural ability to smell better also.

I Agree seen to many dogs that wanted to work that track as bad as the others and just did not have the nose to do it. I also seen some that have the nose and get lazy or spoild and just dont want to trail a track that old. call it what you will he just can not take as cold of a track because of his natural ability Or lack there of. and as for the police dogs I saw a show a few months ago with that shepeard i think his name is maginum where hecould small a 30 min old track but they then took it up to 2 hrs and he could not find the guy . and he is one of the most famious nose dogs on any of the departments.

I believe some dogs have a "colder" nose than others but i also think they have to be taught (or learn on their own) to use it in many different situations. In my opinion if there is a fresh track next to an old track, most if not all dogs would take the fresh track, so i think availability of game during the first few years of a dogs hunting life affects a hound more than how smart or dumb he is. So as long as the dog has the drive, and only cold trails are available he will, with experience learn to run a cold trail well. One of the coldest nosed hounds i ever been in the woods with was also the biggest bonehead i ever seen but hunting was in his blood and that is what he did best he probably sucked at heardin cattle and runnin obstacle courses.

dwalton wrote:Where I read that the the ability to smell did not make a difference with dogs was by people that train drug and explosive dogs. they use all kinds. I have seen and know what these dogs can do it is amazing. What made a difference was the ability to be trained. I look for brains, heart, desire and conformation. Brains for the ability of the dog to learn. With heart a dog will go way above and beyond what we expect and other dogs do. Desire to hunt and catch game, that's not grit to me. When people breed for grit they lose brains, they react instead of thinking. Conformation so the dogs are able to long and fast. they will also hold up physically longer. Some dogs will cold trail better than others I think it is a combination of these traits. With the proper training I think a dog will learn to cold trail better or will learn to cold trail less. If you want to discuss this more with me give me a call. I feel hound men are way behind the rest of world in our ability to train a dog. We do not ask or expect enough out of or dogs. In many cases we hunt with the dog, it needs to hunt with us. Dewey 541-942-4376

Great post.

Take care.

IMO... There are dang few people left, that can really make a "Cold Nosed" dog anymore.

Sure there are a few Govt. Hunters and Outfitters that get to spend the time to see if a dog is really a "Cold Nosed" dog, most of those guys sorriest dogs would run away from mine on a track.

Reality is reality... It takes a lot of time in the gym for a guy to win Mr Universe. Just the same, it takes lot's of cold trail time to make and evaluate accurately, any hound.

Some make it and most don't. The good one's usually come from a long line of good ones, and are most often found,with guys that HUNT HARD!

Take care.

for the most part I believe it is in its in the genetic make up of the dog either they have it or they dont yes with more exposure some dogs do advance and can get somewhat better I have seen cold nosed dogs open on a track and then they cant move it yes they are cold nosed but does this catch game no. They have to be able to push a cold track once they open or you have nothing this is where brains and desire play an important roll they have to be able to move the track. Here is my theory you CANT MAKE A STUPID DOG SMART! jmo later, Andy

all dogs use their sense of smell. it's a odd dog that doesn't spend a good amount of his day sniffing things. then there's motivation if any dog is motivated enough he can do a amazing job trailing something. often you find a good dog that lacks a little something but manages to get the job done. tracking style also happens to be a issue in the equation.
hounds have been bred to have the willingness/instinct to put their nose to the ground and trail. people have their preferences and opinions about this style. like everything.
even non tracking breeds when properly motivated put their nose to the ground to better gain scent. a horse will trail with it's nose to the ground when motivated and can do a good job at it to.
to me this says a animal has to have it's nose at what ever level the scent is laying. I consider a "cold" track to be minimal scent. logic says the last scent molecules will be in protected locations and the heaviest molecules least likely to evaporate or drift away. so a hound will have to lower its head to pick the hard tracks up. the next step would be if the hound has the desire to put the work into trailing it. the final step is how the hound handles that track in comparison with other hounds on the same track.
often a hound that is straddling a track and moving erratically is called a cold nosed hound by some people. it MAY be but if any other hound is moving that track with any speed the first hound is NOT cold nosed. he has one attribute desire. the other requirements are missing or scrambled up in some manner. beagle trials and the different styles shown there are a good example of this. the tracks are pretty fresh granted rabbit scent ages and decays quickly but the drag trials use bottled scent that holds much better. the best times and highest scores are turned in by the hounds who skim the track while moving forward. then you have the faster hounds who often over run the track and make a few losses. then there's the hounds with out talent,desire or with shorted wiring. the question is what track style would work best for your game and style of hunting?
to much or not enough of any one trait can have negative effects on the total package. the real issue is you have to select a strain that has a good record of producing the balance of traits you are looking for. then select among the individuals to get the specific hound that best meets your needs. that is my opinion of cold nosed hounds. the long version.