Can Dogs Smell the Emotions of Other Dogs?

"Dogs are highly social animals, responding to various communication signals from humans and other dogs. Perhaps the most important signals are those that communicate the emotional state of the individuals around them. It is well-established that dogs respond to visually observable changes in the body posture of other dogs-specific tail wags, flattening ears, among other behaviors-as well as their vocal signals (growls, whimpers)."

"Dogs exposed to an unchanging emotional odor become habituated and no longer pay attention to it. If the new scent changes the dog's behavior in the expected way, he is recognizing its emotional content."

Dogs communicate emotional states through visual signals like tail position and ear posture, as well as vocal cues such as growls and whimpers. Beyond these observable channels, dogs possess the ability to detect emotional information through olfactory signals. When exposed to a consistent emotional odor, dogs initially respond but gradually habituate, ceasing to pay attention to the unchanging scent. However, when a new or different emotional odor is introduced, dogs recognize its emotional content through behavioral changes that align with the scent's emotional meaning. This demonstrates that olfactory communication represents an important but often overlooked channel through which dogs perceive and respond to the emotional states of other dogs in their environment.

Read at Psychology Today