Dracunculus and Dogs
Jane McGary (Fri, 22 Jul 2016 09:17:40 PDT)
For many years I shared my garden with Dracunculus and Alaskan Malamute
dogs. I also have a pretty good sense of smell. When the Dracunculus
flowered, I often misinterpreted the odor as a dead mole; the dogs often
killed moles and shrews but didn't eat them, unlike the rodents and
rabbits they killed. The dogs also didn't pay attention to the
Dracunculus (though, interestingly, they liked to roll on garter snakes,
including live ones, which I tried to rescue). Perhaps the plant's odor
is similar to that of the carcass of an inedible animal?
Jane McGary
Portland, Oregon, USA
On 7/22/2016 3:44 AM, Kelly O'Neill wrote:
On 21 Jul 2016 at 17:00, Judy Glattstein wrote:
Some time ago I mentioned something about the rotting meat smell of
dracunculus when in bloom and how odd it was that dogs totally ignored it.
Someone did offer an explanation but I cannot find it.
Anyone? An explanation / theory / suggestion - scientific or otherwise?
...
I do not actually know the answer, but, It seems likely we think
it smells like rotting meat and dogs can tell the difference easily
due to having much better noses than us. Or maybe they
chased the smell down one time and found it was not a good
thing to get mixed up with and they stay away from it now...
Kelly O'Neill aka Big Bubbler
http://www.wetrock.com/ and
http://www.bigbubblers.com/
and Wet Rock Gardens Flower Farm
2877 N 19th Street - Springfield, Oregon 97477
U-Pick and more at the farm (open 9 to 6, Sun,
Wed and Fri - from March thru Halloween)
kellyo@wetrock.com - http://www.wetrock.com/
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