What happens to the efficiency of a dog during open mouth sniffing?

When a dog engages in open mouth sniffing, the efficiency of their detection capabilities actually decreases. This is primarily because open mouth sniffing is less effective for scent detection compared to the more common method of sniffing with the nose closed. When a dog sniffs with their mouth closed, they are typically able to draw in odors more effectively through their olfactory receptors, which are primarily located in the nasal cavity.

During open mouth sniffing, the airflow is altered, and the dog may not be able to filter and identify specific scents as efficiently. This method can lead to distractions and a reduction in the dog’s ability to focus on a particular scent. Therefore, the correct understanding of this behavior is that it tends to result in decreased efficiency when the dog is tasked with locating scents, especially in a law enforcement or detection context.