We dogs are known for our sense of smell. After all, that is how we identify other dogs, find food or other things we wish to ingest. My humans aren’t as tuned in on smells as i am, yet that is also an important part of their lives. Although my human Mom seems to be able to notice smells better than most humans. Warren says she can smell a gnat “toot” at 50 yards! I know you have had those moments when a certain aroma triggers a pleasant memory. It may be a kitchen smell that reminds you of your mother or grandmother’s baking skills. A perfume or cologne that reminds of a past love. Maybe something that takes you back to a special adventure or vacation.
We are spending some time at our condo at Myrtle Beach, SC and I was walking Warren this morning. Temperatures were a very pleasant 70 degrees with a heavy presence of sea fog. It was so heavy that you could hardly see the ocean as you walked next to the waves. I was sniffing and sometimes pawing the sand to see what those wonderful smells could be. Warren commented to me that the smell of the salt air and the sound of the waves coming ashore reminded him of beach trips from his childhood
Growing up in a small town about 90 minutes away from the beach, frequent trips to the coast were part of his life. Day trips were common with his family. With a cousin living next door, she would often go with them or he with her family for these fun trips to the beach. The center and heart of Myrtle Beach was The Pavilion.
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He remembers them renting rafts and riding the waves until they were exhausted. Then they would spend time in the arcade area of The Pavilion, playing games and getting treats. Next, a walk across the street to the amusement park and going on many of the rides.
Sadly, the Pavilion is no more. Having been demolished in 2007. Many old timers like Warren feel Myrtle Beach is just not the same. Having lost some of it’s charm. I hear that is what happens when humans get older. They seem to miss things from their young days. Of course the ocean never changes, and that is what is most relaxing. Looking out over the ocean, hearing the waves come on shore and the salty smell of the sea air.
So why does a smell trigger memories and emotions? When humans see, hear, touch or taste something, that information goes to the thalamus which is like a relay station in their brains. Scents are different. They go directly to the olfactory bulb which is adjacent to areas of the brain that can trigger memories and emotions. That’s pretty deep information coming from a dog, isn’t it? Well, we are experts at smell!
An article in Scientific American states: So many of these odor-driven memories may further be childhood memories because those years are when we experience most smells for the first time. There is not yet research to suggest that we can tap into the link between scents and memory to help us cram for tests or remember where we put our car keys as adults.
Warren thinks it would be great if we could carry a bottle of something to smell and remember why we came into a room.