Dogs experience the world through scent in ways humans can barely imagine.

In this episode, I sit down with Maria Ikenberry, founder of Eyes Ears Nose and Paws, to explore how specially trained dogs use their extraordinary noses—and their training—to support people with medical needs. We talk about how dogs can alert to seizures and other medical events through scent, as well as how they’re trained to provide practical assistance, such as retrieving phones or keys when someone is unable to do so.

We also dive into a lesser-known but deeply meaningful part of this work: the role of incarcerated trainers who help prepare these dogs for service. It’s a powerful story of second chances at both ends of the leash (ABEL) —where dogs find purpose through meaningful work, and people find responsibility, dignity, and hope through training them.

From the science of scent to the life-changing impact of medical assistance dogs, this conversation reveals why a dog’s nose remains one of the most remarkable tools we have—and how its influence reaches far beyond the dogs themselves.

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