Dog runs off on walk with dad in the woods after sniffing the air and rescues one of his own
Dogs have the uncanny ability to smell things that humans can’t. In many cases, a dog’s ability to smell is 10,000 to 100,000 times as acute as a human. This is why they are used for hunting, search and rescue, and other smell-dependent tasks.
For some dogs, even when they aren’t being called on to use their sense of smell it can come through in a big way.
German shorthaired pointers
Take Banjo for instance. A German shorthaired pointer, Banjo, like other dogs of his breed, was trained to help his owner, Kerry, on his hunts around their home in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. On the day in question, though, the two were only going out for some cross-country skiing.
Banjo gives Kerry a sign
Even though he was only 9-months-old at the time, Banjo had a knack for hunting. So, when Kerry noticed the telltale signs that Banjo had picked up a scent, he brushed it off at first.
“Banjo has a distinct tail whip and body movement when he’s around fresh animal scent, so when I saw him run for the trees, I knew something was there,” Kerry told The Dodo. “I assumed it was going to be a porcupine, bird, or rabbit.”
Banjo had made an unexpected discovery
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Instead, it turned out to be something else entirely. As Kerry approached where Banjo was pointing, he noticed a furry, golden head pop out of the snow-covered, bushy area. It was another dog.
Kerry could see that the dog made himself at home in the overgrown area by the burrow the dog had dug in the snow. Kerry’s attempts to coax him out were met with little success. So, he called animal control.
“He was terrified and chilly,” Kerry said. “He allowed Banjo near him, but I couldn’t get very close.”
Contacting the dog’s owner
Animal control was actually able to put Kerry in contact with the dog’s owner. It seemed that the dog, named Louie, had become lost a few days prior. His worried owner had been looking for the golden retriever ever since.
“Only when I put his owner on speakerphone did he show signs of moving,” Kerry said. “I was able to coax him out of the bush with some treats, but he still wouldn’t let me get that close.”
Louie was reunited with his owner once again
Louie had become separated from his owner at a local dog park. A blizzard had then swept through the area covering everything with snow, making it very difficult to find Louie. His owner was out looking for him when Kerry was connected to her.
Louie’s owner then sprinted a half-hour through knee-deep snow to reach Kerry, Banjo, and Louie’s position. As soon as Louie saw his owner, he lost all of his fear and was happy to see her.
A similar experience
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Kerry had experienced something similar the year before.
“Banjo was stolen in August, so I held back some tears as I kinda know the feeling!” Kerry recounted. “There were lots of friends of Louie and some laughs and happy tears from his owner Julia — a waggy butt and a very excited and hungry Louie! It was very sweet.”
Now, Louie is safe at home, all thanks to Banjo and his nose.
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Sources: The Dodo, Instagram – banjo_gwp, pbs.org, American Kennel Club