It was on my wishlist for a long time, but the pile of books I wanted to get through seemed to keep growing….but finally, I bought it. Being a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz is a real treat. Because I like reading about dogs and about smells. And believe it or not, the book devotes quite a lot of pages to perfume and wine! The writer has two dogs herself and invites us readers to get a deeper level of understanding of our canine friends by appreciating just how sensitive their noses are. In the process, we also learn that we can challenge our human noses so much more if we train this sense, listen to the experts and don’t shy away from the odd unpleasant olfactory experience (porcupine pee, anyone?). I read about the scent cartographer Kate McLean and revisited the wine aroma wheel. I now feel reassured that I am absolutely right to let me dog sniff almost every lamppost, plastic bag and other objects that might seem inviting to him in our neighbour-
hood and beyond. It takes more time, but it’s time well spent. Because I pause and reflect – and take in much more of spring’s pleasures. And I’ve made a mental note to try and understand the wonders of our sense of smell – and my dog’s – even better. A book I’d recommend to everybody interested in broadening their olfactory horizon.