That nose . . . really knows

Hmm . . . I think I smell a 'wabbit'

As any beagle owner will know, this dog's incredible sense of smell is beyond human comprehension. At nights, I  might go to the fridge for a quick bite -- maybe a slice of ham and some cheese between two slices of bread and, bingo, there's Trixie right next to me, coming all the way from the other end of my house, where the bedrooms are and where she was sound asleep. I mean, I would have to stick my nostrils to the piece of ham to know how it smells and this remarkable dog can smell it from maybe more than 30 feet away ---- and she wasn't even awake. Just the fact that the nose of a beagle has more than 200 million olfactory cells --- while a human nose has about 5 million --- okay, 'nuff said. And if that wasn't enough, their long floppy ears and their big lips help beagles trap air molecules to their almighty nose. If you are not a beagle owner but you're considering getting one, be aware that you have to have a fenced backyard, or they will run away the instant they detect an interesting scent. The temptation will be too much for them, and there's no training to not pay attention to that powerful nose.