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Kitchen Table Kibitzing: Dogs Smell Time [1]

['Chloris Creator', 'Excorpflunky', 'Zct.Life', 'Chitown Kev']

Date: 2026-06-11  

I’ve been working for several months now on addressing Maisie’s separation anxiety. It’s been slow going, primarily because I haven’t been putting the time into it. I take her everywhere and she goes to doggy day care a few days a week so the urgency is not there.

The other day in our Family Dog 2 training class the instructor asked if I’d ever ventured out of her scent range. Gave me pause. I’ve been basically hanging out in the courtyard near our unit and watching her on the Furbo camera. And she’s been doing fine. A little pacing but no vocalizing and just settling down to lie in front of the door waiting for me to get back.

One trainer told me that dogs can smell your presence over a large distance. They can sense when you are no longer near by because your smell is no longer as strong. So yesterday after our walk, I left her while she was resting, got in my car, and drove a few blocks away. When I returned, she was breathing a little heavier, and really happy to see me. I followed instructions and just walked in past her, not engaging. But it was obvious to me that once I left the neighborhood she sensed it and started getting anxious.

Some background on dogs and smell.

According to Rover:

There are several factors impacting the distance a dog can smell its owner such as genetics, age, health, training, environmental factors, and weather conditions.

Research shows that dogs actually “smell time” as they sense the gradual diminishing of your scent afater you leave. This helps them figure out how long you’ve been gone.

Understanding how your scent impacts separation anxiety helps you use it to your advantage:

Scent-Based Comfort: Leaving a recently worn, unwashed t-shirt or sweatshirt in your dog’s safe space or crate provides a strong, familiar odor. This triggers the release of dopamine and lowers cortisol (the stress hormone), offering immense emotional comfort.

Leaving a recently worn, unwashed t-shirt or sweatshirt in your dog’s safe space or crate provides a strong, familiar odor. This triggers the release of dopamine and lowers cortisol (the stress hormone), offering immense emotional comfort. The “Time” Factor: Because your smell slowly fades, your dog can monitor how long you’ve been away. If you have established routines, they anticipate your return based on the remaining threshold of your scent.

Because your smell slowly fades, your dog can monitor how long you’ve been away. If you have established routines, they anticipate your return based on the remaining threshold of your scent. Preventing Hyper-Attachment: Sometimes, making your scent too accessible can increase dependency. Trainers often recommend taking items like clothing away during training sessions to help your dog practice self-soothing independently. [1, 2]

Sometimes, making your scent too accessible can increase dependency. Trainers often recommend taking items like clothing away during training sessions to help your dog practice self-soothing independently. [1, 2] Building Positive Associations: Using puzzle toys, treat-dispensing snuffle mats, and intense sniffing sessions right before you leave triggers a dog’s olfactory bulb. This directly connects to the limbic system in their brain, turning a panic response into an engaging, calming problem-solving activity

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/6/11/800053239/community/kitchen-table-kibitzing-dogs-sense-of-smell/

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