When Jade Emily Farrow noticed her cane corso acting oddly around the house, she braced herself for bad news. Instead of the usual carefree routine, her dog started watching her with intense focus and following her movements from room to room. He would peek over the couch to keep her in sight and hold eye contact from the doorway if she stepped outside for a moment. The shift felt so unusual that she decided a veterinarian visit was the only sensible next step.
Farrow also filmed the behavior as it happened, capturing a pattern that was hard to ignore. In the clips, the dog keeps a steady gaze on her even when she is simply relaxing on the sofa. The watchfulness is not aggressive, but it is persistent and almost protective. It looks like a pet who suddenly believes something important is happening and he needs to stay close. That sense of instinct is exactly what made the appointment feel urgent.
At the clinic, the explanation she received was not what she expected. Farrow later summarized the moment with a blunt, funny line that quickly drew attention online. “I took him to the vet for a checkup. The vet asked if I might be pregnant. Expensive pregnancy test,” she wrote. The punchline lands because it captures both relief and shock in a single breath.
Her story sparked a wider conversation about how much dogs can detect through scent alone. People often underestimate what a dog’s nose is actually doing as it samples the air and tracks tiny chemical traces. Farrow’s experience pushed many readers to wonder whether a pet can sense pregnancy before a person has any clue. It is a popular idea, but it sits in a gray area between real biology and personal anecdotes. Still, experts say there are plausible reasons it can happen.
According to the American Kennel Club, hormonal shifts during pregnancy may subtly change a person’s natural odor in ways humans cannot notice. Even if the evidence is mostly anecdotal, the underlying mechanism is not far fetched. Dogs live in a world built on smell, and they are constantly collecting information from it. When a body’s chemistry changes, a dog may react to that shift long before anyone thinks to take a test. In many homes, that reaction shows up as clinginess, vigilance, or unusual calm.
Los Angeles certified dog behaviorist and trainer Russ Hartstein has explained that dogs can pick up on different odors tied to chemical changes in the body. Those changes can be associated with serious illness, insulin fluctuations, and even normal cycles like menstruation and pregnancy. The idea is not that dogs understand what pregnancy is, but that they notice something is different and respond to it. A dog that suddenly shadows one person might be acting on new sensory information rather than anxiety or disobedience. That distinction matters because it can prevent owners from misreading the behavior as a problem to correct.
Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, a senior veterinarian at the Animal Medical Center in New York, also addressed the broader question directly. “I suspect dogs can sense something we cannot,” she said. That statement does not claim dogs are magical, but it supports the reality that their senses operate on a different level. If a dog’s behavior changes suddenly, it can be a clue that something in the environment or in a person’s body has changed. It is also a reminder that unusual behavior can still warrant a veterinary check, even when the outcome ends up being surprising.
As the story circulated, commenters shared their own experiences, reinforcing the pattern Farrow described. One person wrote, “Oh my God, my Chihuahua started sleeping on my belly whenever she had the chance. She never did that in her thirteen years of life.” Another added, “He looks at you like he’s thinking, ‘Girl, you’re pregnant, and only I know it.’” A third recalled, “My Bernese mountain dog did the same thing with my wife while she was pregnant. He even woke her up right before her water broke.” The collection of stories was later attributed to Mirror, which noted how strongly people connected to the idea of dogs sensing what humans miss.
Even with all the excitement, it helps to keep expectations realistic. A dog’s intense attention can also be triggered by stress in the household, changes in schedule, or the dog not feeling well. That is why Farrow’s instinct to consult a veterinarian was the smartest move, regardless of the final explanation. When behavior shifts sharply, it is worth ruling out pain, vision issues, or neurological problems before assuming it is intuition. In this case, the visit simply turned into an unexpected clue about her own life.
Cane corsos, like many large guardian breeds, are also known for being observant and strongly bonded to their people. They tend to track family members naturally, and when something changes, that attentiveness can become even more noticeable. A dog that is already protective may respond to subtle cues with extra monitoring and closeness. That does not automatically mean pregnancy, but it does mean the breed’s temperament can amplify any new behavior pattern. Owners often describe them as loyal shadows once they pick a favorite person.
More broadly, scientists and trainers often explain canine smell using a simple comparison. Dogs have a vastly more sensitive olfactory system than humans, and their brains devote far more processing power to scent information. That is why they can be trained to detect medical conditions, locate missing people, and identify specific substances. While household situations are less controlled than training environments, the same biology is at work. Your dog is constantly collecting data, even when you think he is just lying on the floor.
If your pet starts acting strangely, it is still best to treat it as a health and wellness question first. A quick check with a veterinarian can rule out issues and give peace of mind. If nothing is wrong physically, then you can look at recent changes in the home and consider whether your dog is reacting to a new scent, a new routine, or a shift in your own body chemistry. Farrow’s story is memorable because it blends humor with a genuine reminder that dogs often notice the smallest changes before we do.
Share your thoughts in the comments on whether you think dogs can really sense pregnancy or other hidden changes in the people they love.
