If you are a dog owner, you might have observed this with your dogs. And I swear, it should have been something you would said “YUCKK”! Yes, I am talking about sniffing the privates.
Yes, you heard that right. Whenever a dog meets a new dog, they sniff each other’s butts. Have you ever wondered why does a dog do that weird thing? Well, that may be weird for us, but that is something quite naturak in their world. Butt sniffing is a healthy and normal behaviour in a dog, and something you need not worry about.
But wait, it may go overboard at times. So, let us find why do dogs snifff each others butts and when to stop the behaviour. But, just in case they do it incessantly and excessively.
Butt sniffing in dogs is a way to greet each other and know each other. This is quite a normal behaviour in a healthy dog, and nothing to be worried about. Just the way you shake hands with a person, butt sniffing is what dogs do to greet each other.
Why do Dogs Smell Each Other’s Butts?
When your dog sniffs the butt of another dog, they are not smelling poop, they are just trying find what is new about them. Your dog is trying to find what they are all about and what their life history is all about. It can help them find if they have met before – through the scent of another dog.
While butt sniffing is a form of greeting, it goes beyond that. Every animal including us humans has a unique scent of their own. While we humans have the limited ability to detect the personal scent, dogs can learn a lot of things about each other just by sniffing the scent through their noses.
The personal scent of a dog or a cat, is strong at the butt or genital parts, because that is where the anal sacs are located. The scent from this region can your dog a lot about another dog. This can include the information on the gender, reproductive status, diet, health status, temperament, and many other details.
Dogs and Their Sense of Smell
Dogs have a really powerful sense of smell. Just give it a thought – we humans have 5 million receptos for smell in our noses, and dogs have 220 million of these receptors! That is enough to let you understand thee power of their smell. Their smelling power thousands of times powerful than what we can even imagine.
Dog’s noses have a feature called the Jacobson’s organ. Also called Second nose, this organ lets the dog understand a lot about another dog, or just about anything that your dog may be sniffing at. What I mean is just the way you
Why is Your Dog Sniffing at Your Crotch?
While sniffing other dog’s bottom may be fine. But, you might also have found your dog sniffing at your crotch or privates. It may appear to be embarrassing. But, wait – once again, it has the same logic as with sniffing another dog’s butt. Your dog is trying to learn as much as possible about you. I was a lot embarrassed with my dog doing this frequently with me. But, my vet drilled some sense into me and explained how it is quite normal in the dog world.
Just like any other animal, the personal scent of a human is concentrated at the genital and anal region. So many dogs attempt to know more about you be sniffing at your crotch. You may wonder if you are smelling really bad there and your dog is sniffing your crotch. No way, it isn’t anything about you. it is just a simple canine behaviour.
Dogs can even detect the changes in the human psychology or their feelings by sniffing at your crotch. In fact, it has been observed that dogs detect that a woman is pregnant even before she knows it. They can aptly identify through the scent if a person is sad or happy.
Is it Okay if My Dog Sniffs Other Dogs?
As long as your dog is healthy and well socialised, there is nothing wrong with letting it do what it does. Butt sniffing is not something bad, but a normal behaviour for your dogs. In fact, if two dogs get enough time sniffing at each other, they are less likely to get into fights.
However, if you suspect the two dogs are not getting well together, or are overstimulated by an excessive sniffing, it is better to separate them. Some dogs may not like the sniffing at their butt at all, while some may get annoyed if it is done excessively.
The Final Thoughts
Well, that should have answered all your queries adequately. If you find your dog sniffing at the butts of other dogs, you need not feel annoyed any longer. It isn’t something gross, or disgusting. It is what dogs do to greet and investigate each other with. As long as it does not go beyond limits and does not annoy the dog that receives the but sniffing, there is no harm in letting your dog. After all, that is how those poor animals socialise. And we have every right to let them socialise as peer their own wish.
Can dogs smell period blood?
Yes, not only dogs, but ven cats can detect the menstrual smells and the hormonal changes. You would typically find your dog behaving very friendly and compassionate with you during these times. Of course, they do not understand what is going on, but they find that there is a change.
Can dogs sense sadness?
Dogs may pick up that you are sad or anxious by checking you vocal changes or facial expressions. They may also notice it through the change in your bodily smells.
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