photo #8555849

Did you know that the tiny vertical groove between a dog’s nose and upper lip actually has a purpose? It’s called the vegetal groove (or philtrum), and it’s not there by accident!Each time a dog licks its lips, a bit of saliva collects in that groove. Through a process called capillarization, the moisture travels up to the nose — helping keep it damp.And why does that matter? Because a moist nose is much better at capturing and holding scents from the air. That’s part of what makes a dog’s sense of smell so incredibly powerful!