Owner says dog is acting ‘weirdly’ then vet drops bombshell

Following her dog’s bizarre behaviour, Jade Emily Farrow filmed him watching her from afar around the house and posted the footage on social media. Her clips show the pooch peering over the sofa to monitor her movements, sustaining eye contact from the entrance as she ventures outside, even for a moment, and even gazing at her whilst she sits down unwinding. The vet’s explanation was far from what Jade was expecting.

The caption states: “Took him to the vets for a check-over. Vet asked me if I could be pregnant. Expensive pregnancy test.”

Dogs have approximately 60 times more scent receptors than humans, alongside roughly 40 times greater brain capacity devoted to analysing smell. Beyond this, they also possess the capability to identify and retain odours long after initial exposure to the original smell.

According to the American Kennel Club: “When a person is pregnant, the hormones in their body are likely to alter their scent in some way. So, can dogs sense pregnancy?

“Because of their keen sense of smell, many people believe dogs can detect changes in a pregnant person even before they do – but it’s mostly conjecture. ‘I suspect that dogs can smell something we cannot,’ says Dr Ann Hohenhaus, Senior Veterinarian and Director of Pet Health Information at the Animal Medical Center of New York City.”

According to Russ Hartstein, a certified behaviourist and dog trainer based in Los Angeles, canines are also capable of detecting various scents stemming from chemical changes, cancer, insulin levels, bombs, drugs, a person’s menstrual cycle, and even pregnancy.

Responding to Jade’s post, one user remarked: “Omg, my Chihuahua started sleeping on my stomach any chance she got. Never in her 13 years of life.”

Another contributor noted: “He looking at you like, ‘Girl, you pregnant and I’m the only one that knows’.”

A third person shared: “My Bouvier did the same thing with my wife while she was pregnant – even woke her up just before her water broke.”

Yet another user suggested: “Pregnant ladies must smell different or something, because the dog always knows.”

Someone else recalled: “I remember my dog suddenly changed his attitude and became overprotective of me. He wouldn’t let anyone around me before I even knew I was pregnant. And when I brought the baby home for the first time to meet him, he had the biggest smile on his face, like he already knew her.”