Popcorn paws

I am an animal lover. There is no use trying to disguise that fact about myself. And while I'm at it....I might as well admit that I'm one of those weirdo's that really really really loves my animals (not enough to dress them up in ridiculous outfits, however). Well I guess since I spend so much time with my pets, I notice things that others might miss. Like the fact that cats and dogs feet smell like popcorn. Fact.

I first noticed this in elementary school about my cat, Simba, and have always gotten a strange pleasure out of smelling my pets feet ever since....especially Gabbie's (Don't act like you don't have weird scents that you like too....you're probably one of those people that likes the smell of gasoline....gross!)

So I was discussing this with a friend last night and the first thing he did (being the research fiend that he is) was to get on google and ask the question: "why do dogs feet smell like popcorn?" Apparently others have observed this phenomenon as well, although many refer to it as "frito-feet." Here is what we found:

"Dog feet are a great place for bacteria and yeast to take up residence because there’s a lot of moisture and little to no air circulation in the folds and pockets of skin between toes and foot pads. All these micro-organisms give off their own distinct odors (they’re what give us BO), and the popcorn/corn chip smell on some dogs could be the fault of yeast or the bacterium Proteus, which are both known for their sweet, corn tortilla smell. Or it could be the bacterium Pseudomonas, which smells a little fruitier, but pretty close to popcorn to most noses....it is perfectly normal for there to be a lot of bacteria on and in your pet—and on and in you. It’s part of life on Earth and there are worse things these bacteria could be doing besides making your dog smell like delicious snacks."

So if you have a pet...see for yourself. I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised!