Nose — Dogs

The story behind the answer

This image shows the dog’s nose—the textured, leathery rhinarium with two nostrils. That’s different from the muzzle or snout, which includes the entire protruding area (nose plus mouth), and from the mouth itself, which is the opening with lips and teeth.

A dog’s nose is a powerful scent tool: it’s moist to help dissolve odor molecules, has side slits that vent exhaled air and pull in new scents, and can house around 220 million scent receptors (far more than humans). Fun fact: a dog’s nose print is unique, like a fingerprint. Tip to remember: if you’re seeing just the nostril pad, it’s the nose—not the muzzle.