Can Dogs Taste Sour?

Can dogs taste sweet and sour and other flavors people may enjoy? In short, yes. Canines and humans have been sharing food for millenia. After all that time together, you might think that dogs would like some of the more challenging flavors that people enjoy. Although dogs can taste sour things, it doesn’t mean that they appreciate them, so maybe keep the lemons and the sour candies for yourself.

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What can dogs taste?

Dogs use taste, odor, vision, and texture to fully experience food. Dogs’ keen sense of smell plays a role in how enticing certain foods are, but their taste buds also play a role. Taste buds are tiny bumps on the surface of the tongue with nerve endings that send information about the chemicals present in food to the brain. 

What flavors dogs can taste are similar to the ones that humans can taste. Dogs are able to detect five basic taste elements: sweet, salty, bitter, umami, and sour. 

• Sweet: Dog taste buds can detect sugars like glucose and fructose, and a dog’s brain may interpret sweet foods as a possible source of energy. 

• Salty: Essential minerals like sodium and chloride contribute to the saltiness of food. Dogs don’t have an inherent preference for saltiness and may not taste salt as well as people can. 

• Bitter: Dogs have bitter taste receptors, and they tend to dislike bitter flavors. 

• Umami: Umami can refer to a savory or “meaty” flavor. Dogs may be drawn to umami flavors because they represent sources of protein. 

• Sour: Dog taste buds can also detect sour flavors, and dogs tend to shy away from these foods. 

Related article

Can Dogs Taste Sugar?

We already know they’re sweet.

Can dogs taste sour?

The sour taste of food is determined by the presence of various acids. Although dogs can taste sour, it's unclear if they experience it as strongly as humans do. Dogs have fewer taste buds than humans. They have about 1,700 taste buds, while humans have around 9,000. It’s possible that, though dogs can taste sour, they don’t detect the same sharpness as people do. Or they don’t pick up on the nuances of flavor that drive some people to crave sour foods.

Do dogs like sour tastes?

Do dogs like lemons and limes? Although there may be the odd weirdo pup that lives for lemon pulp, most dogs do not like sour foods. When encountering sour foods, dogs can have a comically negative reaction; from puckered muzzles to aggressive lip-smacking to the most exaggerated looks of horror. 

Dogs have developed an ingrained instinct to avoid sour foods because it protects them from ingesting potentially harmful substances, like unripe fruit or rotting foods. Unripe fruits can be difficult for dogs to digest and lead to stomach upset if eaten in large amounts. Rotting or fermenting foods can contain harmful bacteria that can lead to severe gastrointestinal disease. Unripe and rotting foods can also have a tangy odor that provides an early clue for dogs to stay away. 

Do dogs like bitter tastes?

Dogs will avoid bitter flavors for the same reasons they steer clear of sour things: safety and preference. In the wild, toxic substances can have a bitter taste that clue curious pups on whether a food is desirable. If the first tiny taste is bitter and tannic, many dogs will reject the food and move on to something more appetizing (and hopefully non-toxic).  

A dog’s rejection of bitterness can be a double-edged sword. Many pet parents needing to medicate their dog have had the experience of hiding a tablet or capsule in a treat, only to watch their dog bite into it instead of eating around it. The following minutes are full of drool, lip-smacking, a serious loss of trust, and little to no medication in the dog. 

On the other hand, bitterness can be used as a tool to keep dogs safe. Ethylene glycol, the main ingredient in antifreeze, has a sweet taste that has led to accidental poisonings in many pets and children. The Antifreeze Bitterness Act requires manufacturers to add a bittering agent to antifreeze to discourage ingestion. Although it's not a federal requirement, many states have adopted this legislation since the early 2000s and now most (if not all) antifreeze is made with denatonium benzoate or similar bittering agents. Additionally, there are bitter sprays and gels created to deter pets from licking and chewing objects like bandages and electrical cords that are off-limits.

Related article

Can Dogs Taste Spice, and Do They Enjoy Eating Spicy Foods?

Bottom Line: Can dogs taste sour?

Dogs have taste buds that can detect sweet, salty, bitter, umami, and sour. Detecting different flavors can help keep dogs safe as well as contribute to their enjoyment of food. Most dogs will reject sour foods even after they beg to taste them. 

Dog parents should avoid offering sour foods that can cause problems. For example, sour pickles are high in salt, and sour candies contain excessive sugar. Instead, prioritize dog-friendly treats that your dog will actually enjoy. 

References

• Antifreeze manufacturers agree to bittering agent addition. American Veterinary Medical Association. https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2013-02-15/antifreeze-manufacturers-agree-bittering-agent-addition.

• Kurihara, Kenzo. “Canine Taste Responses to Elements of Food Deliciousness Closely Resemble Those of Human Responses, While Rodent Responses are Very Different from Canine Responses.” 2020: SM J Nutr Metab 6: 9. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.36876/smjnm834643.

• Matthew Ronald Gibbs; Winnig, M.; Riva, I.; Dunlop, N.; Waller, D. D.; Klebansky, B.; Logan, D. W.; Briddon, S. J.; Holliday, N. D.; Scott Joseph Mcgrane. “Bitter Taste Sensitivity in Domestic Dogs (Canis Familiaris) and Its Relevance to Bitter Deterrents of Ingestion.” PLOS ONE 2022, 17 (11), e0277607–e0277607. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277607.

• ‌National Center for Biotechnology Information. “How does our sense of taste work?” Nih.gov. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279408/.

• ‌Spence, C. Gastrophysics for Pets: Tackling the Growing Problem of Overweight/Obese Dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2022, 256, 105765. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105765.