Just to go back to the dogs smelling thing. Even humans can smell some things. I’ve got a pretty good sense of smell, and I’ve noticed pregnant women have a particular smell to them (sorry I know that sounds a bit Hannibal lector…) it’s a pleasant smell.
Adrenaline makes your sweat smell different to if you’re just hot. Have you ever been frightened and drenched in sweat? You feel all clammy after. You smell completely different to if you’ve just been digging the garden. One is a healthy warm smell and the adrenaline is like a cold smell. I can also smell if the kids are getting sick, and I’ve spoken to other mums who say the same - it’s like a ketone sort of smell but not quite like that. You can smell starvation in people and you can smell sickness. If you’ve ever walked into a house where someone’s sick you can smell it. Medics can often tell strep and clostridium infections by smell alone.
And dogs have a sense of smell thousands of times better. It must be incredible. I really believe dogs don’t just smell it but sense it.
Years back we had someone knock on the door, I can’t even remember why, but he stepped into the room (small house at the time, so street to living room) the cat was on the sofa arm, hair on end, spitting with fear and rage, never seen him react like that at all. The dog was growling and got between me and the bloke. Perfectly normal looking bloke. He started to look nervous and he left. I can’t remember why he was there but he was unexpected - maybe selling something or tv licence git . I have never seen and never did see either animal (alas now sadly passed on) react like that to anyone else. I did have the dog react to other people while out, mainly just a mild reaction. I suspect they see body language and posture as well. Troons are deceptive, and deceptive is bad. They’re also sick, their hormone levels are off and that must smell weird.
I would trust the dog, is what I’m saying.