The Formation and Invariance of Canine Nose Pattern of Beagle Dogs from Early Puppy to Young Adult Periods

SIMPLE SUMMARY: In this paper, we examine whether the canine nose pattern, which is an interlocking pattern of beads and grooves on a dog’s nose, is unique to each individual animal. For this purpose, the nose images of ten beagle dogs were taken every month for the ten-month period starting from month two and ending in month eleven. Six of them are siblings born of one dam and the other four of another dam. In this longitudinal study, the canine nose patterns of these ten dogs are examined visually and by a biometric algorithm to determine whether the canine nose patterns in two images of the same dog taken at different time remain the same and whether two images of different dogs are indeed different regardless of when the images are taken. It is found that the canine nose pattern of the beagle dog is fully formed at the second month after birth, that this nose pattern stays invariant, and that the canine nose pattern is indeed unique to each animal. Our finding confirms and enhances the claims of earlier works that the canine nose pattern is indeed unique to each animal, and could be used as a unique biometric marker. ABSTRACT: The formation and invariance of the canine nose pattern is studied. Nose images of ten beagle dogs were collected for ten months from month two to month eleven. The nose patterns in these images are examined visually and by a biometric algorithm. It is found that the canine nose pattern is fully formed at the end of the second month since birth and remains invariant until the end of the eleventh month. This study also strongly indicates that the canine nose pattern can be used as a unique biometric marker for each individual dog.