A huge number of us decided to add dogs to our families over the last few years – according to Kennel Club figures dog ownership has soared to record levels – around one-in-three UK households now contains at least one four-legged friend.
But with 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your perfect pooch – whether you want a large dog, family-friendly dog, or crossbreed.
Some dogs have the most amazing sense of smell, an attribute that has often been intentionally bred into them to make them perfect for tasks such as tracking prey.
These are also dogs that are likely to be able to sniff out food, making it a challenge to keep them from stealing your lunch.
These are the 10 breeds of dog with the best sense of smell, according to the American Kennel Club.
1. Bloodhound
With a record-breaking 300 million scent receptors, the Bloodhound is the gold medal-winner for sniffing out anything you may want to find. They've been used to find many things over the years - not least fleeing criminals - and can follow a scent trail on the ground or in the air. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
2. Basset Hound
Originally from France, the Basset Hound uses its long ears to sweep scent from the ground up to its super-sensitive nose. It also ingeniously uses the loose skin on its chin to trap a particular scent for reference. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
3. Labrador Retriever
As well as using their impressive olfactory abilities to find bombs and drugs, the Labrador Retriever is also used by medics to sniff out patients suffering from cancer and low blood sugar levels. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
4. Pointer
A favourite with hunters, the Pointer is not only able to smell out prey with unerring accuracy, it can also 'point' out the location using the distiinctive stance from which it got its name. Photo: Canva/Getty Images