Every Day Dog-ism

Aromatherapy with Lavender and Mint

Down the vets with the Earless Beaker Bunny for her annual MOT today and I was intrigued to see this range. I mean, I know we think of them as little people, not as working animals, pest controllers or potential food as we used to. But I still think the "Groomers" range of dog spray is pushing the limits.

You can get them for detangling. You can get them for puppies. You can get them for gleaming coats. But I reckon this one takes the biscuit.

Aromatherapy for dogs?  Since aromatherapy works by placebo affect - how does the dog know it's meant to be feeling better? And is it for

But it's not as bad or as confusing as the second example I have collected for you. The "Boyzone" grooming product which is "subtle and masculine".

I mean - what? What does a dog think designates "subtle" or "masculine"? Given their senses of smell are thousands of times better than ours, what is subtle to us is probably an explosion of scent to a dog.  Our "subtle" is probably "overpowering" in dog years.

And then, "masculine". Whose take on masculinity is this? A dog's? Or ours? And given we have enough trouble defining what a "masculine" scent is - to Burton Dasset, WD40 is a defining masculine odour, while to others it can be sweat - then how does a dog do that?

"Subtle and Masculine"

There's one scent dogs do, I believe, associate with "masculine". That's the smell of territory-marking urine. But is that what this smells of? If so, shouldn't they be warning us?  Forget "aromatherapy" - "warning - smells of wee" would not be a great marketing message, would it.

And if the dog can smell "masculine", what about a scent that is "feminine"? Again, the smell that probably best captures "feminine" to a dog, is that  of "bitch on heat". That draws them for miles, that does. And yet, mysteriously, this isn't in the range.

No, there's no doubt about it. This is a seriously flawed, stereotyping, concept.

I reckon we should let dogs be dogs.