canine response to floral scents; was : RE: Dracunculis vulgaris

Jim McKenney jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com
Tue, 04 Jul 2006 08:13:34 PDT
The dogs here have generally ignored not only the stinky aroids but flowers
in general. 

However, I remember one notable exception where one of our dogs took a keen
and prolonged interest in a flower. We had kept the runt of a litter years
ago; she grew into a slightly deformed, snaggle-toothed, scraggly haired,
repellent-looking little beast who generally evoked peals of laughter from
people seeing her for the first time. She was also one of the sweetest dogs
we have ever had and out-lived her litter mates.

While working in the garden one day, I was amused to see her thoughtfully
-or so it seemed - sniffing a flower of Trillium erectum, aka Stinking
Benjamin or Wet Dog Trillium. She seemed to be deep in thought, or in a
trance, as she did this. She would put her nose up to the flower and keep it
there for a few minutes, then draw away and stand there for awhile looking
intently at the flower. Then she would go back to the flower.  She made no
attempt to bite the flower or lick it or eat it; she just stood there
looking at it and apparently smelling it. 

Jim McKenney
Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA zone 7, where we are nearing the
height of the season for the modern super lilies.  


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