Howdy. Most of you know me, or at least we’ve talked a time or two. I’m Jeff…the farmer and dog guy…and I’ve got a story that’s equal parts blessing and curse, with a healthy dose of irony thrown in for good measure. (And by the way, “howdy” is really a way we greet each other in west Texas. I grew up hearing it. But it’s not a very pronounced HOW-dee, like you might hear on TV. Rather, it sounds quicker, and kind of in between HI-dee and Hu-dee. But I digress…
After growing up around my grandparents’ farms and ranches, and spending almost a decade on our little hobby farm here in north Texas, I figured I’d seen it all, smelled it all, and stepped in most of it too. And your nose never really gets used to things. But COVID had other plans for this old farmer’s nose. I got hit with that virus not once, but twice (maybe even a 3rd time, but figured why test again), and it really screwed up my senses of taste and smell.
Turns out I’m not alone. For most people, COVID-related smell loss lasts 2-3 weeks, but some of us drew the short straw. The research shows that smell dysfunction appeared in 60.5% of COVID patients, with a quarter of those reporting only partial or no recovery of the sense. So while most folks get their noses back in working order pretty quickly, some of us are stuck in this strange new world where things smell different…or not at all.
The Good, The Bad, and The Stinky
So there was an unexpected benefit of my loss of smell. Lots of things stink on a farm. Lots of animals. You can imagine. I learned pretty quickly that I had a new “superpower.” My wife would say, “oh my goodness, I’m not going in there.” Or. “Oh nope, I’m not doing that!” To which I’d reply, “why not?” And I’d go do the job. No problem! I didn’t smell a thing!
So other than the frustration of a few things that I liked smelling strange or not at all (coffee smells different, peanut butter smells different – two of my FAVORITE things), this seemed like a blessing.
But then I discovered the loss that truly hurt. There was one thing I truly love and in my line of work, it was a frequent pleasure. Keep reading…
While often temporary, some individuals did not regain full smell or taste sensitivity, according to Yale Medicine's research, published in 2023.
Here’s where the story took a terrible turn for me.
You see, after I retired from the real world, Michele and I moved back to the country and built our little farm. She still teaches of course (about to start her 33rd year), and my job is to run the farm, the garden and run the puppy business that will soon be here retirement business.
I’ve been around this a long time. I grew up around farms and ranches and of course have had many different kinds of dogs. In fact, I delivered my first litter of puppies when I was about 12. Since Michele and I have always loved dogs, we figured it’d be a nice way to stay busy and bring some joy into folks’ lives. We now had more room, so we decided to venture into the world of Doodles and to get back into breeding Labs. (Click here to read a little more about us!)
The Heartbreak: Missing Puppy Breath
But here’s where things took a terrible turn – I can no longer smell puppy breath. And if you’ve never experienced the pure, sweet joy of puppy breath, well, you’re missing out on one of life’s simple pleasures.
What Makes Puppy Breath So Special?
Some people think I’m crazy when I talk about loving puppy breath, but science backs me up on this one. Good puppy breath usually has a slightly sweet smell with hints of vanilla or honey – think freshly baked cookies! It’s not just my imagination running wild.
Puppies have clean mouths without the bacteria buildup that gives adult dogs their…sometimes less pleasant breath. Unlike adult dog breath, puppy breath has a charm all its own – it’s often described as sweet, almost like baby powder.
Sidebar: Here’s another interesting fact: evidence suggests that puppies release other natural pheromones which have may help reduce stress levels in humans. And science has shown that puppies and adult dogs can help humans in many other ways (mentally and physically!) No wonder we can’t resist burying our faces in those little fuzzy snouts! It’s nature’s way of making sure we bond with these little critters and take good care of them. (Watch for a future blog post on human stress, and why puppies and dogs can help!)
Not everyone's a fan of puppy breath...
Now, not everyone’s a fan of puppy breath – some folks find it off-putting or just plain weird. (Which I find weird. 😂) But for those of us who love it, especially for someone like me – who’s around puppies almost year-round, losing the ability to smell it is like losing access to a little piece of heaven. I can still feel those tiny wet noses against my cheek and watch those sleepy puppy eyes. But that sweet, comforting smell that used to make my heart melt? Thanks a lot COVID…I can only hope that one day it returns.
Finding the Humor in It All
The irony isn’t lost on me – I spent decades complaining about farm smells, and now that I can’t smell the bad stuff, I no longer smell some of the good stuff.
So here I am, a farmer who can’t smell his farm and a dog breeder who can’t smell puppy breath. Sounds like a country song. Life’s got a funny way of evening things out.
Who knows, maybe one day I’ll wake up and smell the puppy breath again. Until then, I’ll keep doing what I love, even if I have to do it with a slightly less functional nose.
