Have you wondered why do dogs sniff buttholes?
To humans, this might seem like a peculiar and weird act, but it is standard doggy behavior – behaviorwhich stems from natural instinct. It is a way of greeting or saying hello in dogdom.
But what are the exact reasons behind this peculiar canine behavior?
In this article, we will discover:
- 10 real reasons why do dogs sniff butts
- 3 Tips to protect your dog if you let him sniff doggy butts
- 3 Tips to stop your dog from sniffing human buttholes and crotches
Why Do Dogs Sniff Buttholes?
Dogs sniff buttholes because a dog’s butt has strong-scent emitting anal glands on either side of the anus. This strong scentgives dogs a ton of information about the other dog – whether it is friendly, healthy, its diet, temperament, etc. Sniffing buttholes is also a form of canine greeting.
Let us dive deeper into the reasons behind this behavior.
10 Reasons Why Do Dogs Sniff Buttholes?
1. It is like ‘Doggie handshake’
According to Dr. Ryan Llera of VCA Hospitals,in doggy world, sniffing buttholes is a way of saying hello, greeting each other, or shaking hands.
Dogs do not speak so they have to use other forms of communication and that includes sniffing each other out. Humans might think sniffing butts is impolite, but to dogs this is a completely acceptable and natural form of communication.
It is a method that dogs use to communicate to each other that they want to play or get to know each other better.
2. To get info about other dog’s food, diet, health
According to Dr. Ryan Llera a dog’s nose is a powerful organ that also contains another different or second olfactory system. This is the vomeronasal organ (also called Jacobson’s organ). Without going into much scientific detail, dogs use this Jacobson’s organ to detect ‘undetectable odors’.
This means that dogs sniff other dogs’ butts not only to say hello but also to get a ton of information about the other dog – information pertaining to the dog’s health, availability for breeding, its temperament, and even the dog’s diet.
A dog’s nose is also always wet. This wetness accentuates each smell several times over. Sniffing the private region of another dog helps your dog get to know the other dog better.
3. They do it prior to mating
The AKC states that dogs have nearly 300 million scent sensors in their noses. These, combined with the Jacobson’s organ, provide your dog with all the information it may need about the other dog.
When male and female dogs sniff each other private areas, they get a whiff of pheromoneswhich give them important information about the dog’s breeding status.
A male dog might therefore sniff or even start licking a female dog’s privates if he thinks she is ready for mating.
4. The act relieves stress in dogs
Dr. Ryan Llera states that dogs sniffing butts is their way of relieving stress.
If you have multipledogs at home, they might sniff each other all the time as a calming ritual. In case you have one dog, it will use its walks to meet and greet other dogs and sniff other doggy butts at the Dog Park.
This act helps your dog relieve stress and release endorphins. Endorphins are feel-good hormones that can calm and soothe your dog’s senses. Sniffing butts is therefore good for your dog’s mental and physical well-being too.
5. To identify a friend or a foe
Dogs, in the wild, have to rely upon all their senses – and especially their sense of smell – for their safety. They have to be alert all the time as it can be a matter of life and death.
Wild dogs have the natural instinct to sniff out other dogs and animals in order to find out if that animal is a friend or a foe.
Even though humans have domesticated dogs, they continue using this natural instinct to determine if the other dog is friendly or means harm. Sniffing a dog’s private parts can tell your dog whether it is friendly, mild-tempered, or aggressive.
This can help dogs protect themselves from aggression or attacks too.
6. To exert dominance
Another reason behind the butt sniffing behaviors in dogs is to exert dominance.
Dogs have a natural hierarchy among themselves. They are also very territorial animals so they leave their urine on trees, fire hydrants, and lamp posts to mark their territory and tell other dogs that they were there.
When your dog sniffs about on its morning walk, it finds all about the dogs that were there before him/her.
It might spend a long time sniffing in a particular area where another dog may have urinated or pooped. This urine and poop carries powerful messages in the canine world.
For example, your dog can find out which dog are the dominant one in the neighborhood and also other ‘gossip’ in the neighborhood.
If your dog then comes across the dog and sniffs its butt, it can put two-and-two together and find out which dogs’ urine had marked the tree it sniffed earlier.
7. For enjoyment
Yes, believe it or not, dog sniffing butthole can be a pleasurable act for dogs!
Just like humans find certain scents and perfumes rather alluring; our beloved dogs tend to get pleasure from sniffing another dog’s genitals and butthole.
In un-fixed dogs, another dog’s genital scent can stimulate sexual arousal. Even fixed dogs, senior dogs, and very young pups find sniffing other doggy butts to be an enjoyable act.
8. Natural instinct in certain breeds
Some dog breeds are categorized as scent hounds. Many of these are even employed by humans to sniff out narcotics, cancers and other diseases, and even preempt about epilepsy or seizures in humans. Their sense of smell can help save human lives.
These dog breeds use this powerful sense of smell all the time. That is why we might find that these dog breeds tend to sniff other dogs and even human buttholes and crotches.
Dogs like Basset hounds, Beagles, Dachshunds, and Cur dog breeds all use their sense of smellto find out information about a dog: its diet, temperament, etc.
9. Helps puppies identify their mother by scent, as well as find her milk
According to the experts at Animal Care Center, Puppies sniff out their mother or dam’s buttholes to determine if it is indeed their mother.
When a pup is born, its eyes are closed. That is why it relies on its sense of smell to guide it to its mom’s milk.
Pups use that instinct and olfactory system to even differentiate other lactating bitches from their own mother.
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10. Why do dogs sniff human buttholes and privates of humans
Again, dogs do this not to embarrass you, but to get information about you. For example, both female and male dogs might sniff a woman’s crotch or privates to determine if she is menstruating.
They can also get information about a woman’s pregnancy. Sometimes, dogs sniff a human’s bum after a fart. This gives them an idea about what the man/woman has eaten.
According to the AKC, the reason why do dogs sniff buttholes in humans is because of the apocrine glands. In dogs, the apocrine glands are situated all over the body.
But in humans, the apocrine glands are concentrated in the armpits and crotch. Since the genitals are more easily accessible to dogs, theysniff at human crotches. This can give your dog information about the man/woman’s age, health, sexual status, etc.
They even come to know when a female is ovulating, menstruating, or pregnant. In short, sniffing a human’s butthole or privates can tell your dog the following:
- Recent sexual intercourse
- Pregnancy/ovulation/menstruation
- From a human’s fart – what the human has eaten.
Also Read: 5 Reasons Why Does my Dog Smell Like Fish (#3 is Very Interesting)
Should You Stop your Dog From Sniffing Buttholes? 3 Tips to Follow
It is important not to stop your dog from sniffing another dog’s buttholes. Your dog gets important information from this act and it even helps themgreet each other.It is also important for preventing your dog from getting stressed.
Sniffing buttholes can let your dog know if the other dog is friendly. It can be very important in helping dogs establish hierarchy in the neighborhood.Allowing your dog to greet other dogs is an important part of its desensitization and socialization process.
However, expert dog trainer Kyra Sundance , author of The Dog Rules: 14 Secrets to Developing the Dog You Want, cautions dog owners to use the following tips when allowing their dog to sniff neighborhood dog butts:
1. If your dog is on leash, it need not be allowed to sniff other dogs’ buttholes
Leashed dogs are more likely to get into fights and that is why it is best to not let them sniff each other. Dogs can ‘air-sniff’ and get all the information they need.
If you do allow your pet to sniff, then 15-20 seconds is all the time your pet needs to get the information it needs. Be smart about it. Thank the owner and walk away calmly after the dogs are done sniffing each other.
2. Seek the dog owner’s permission
Always ask the other dog owner if their dog is friendly. We should not assume that all dogs enjoy interacting with other dogs.
Be aware if the owner says – “He is usually friendly” because that could means that the dog is temperamental and may not always react calmly.
3. Keep a strong pull on your dog
As a dog parent, it is up to you to keep your dog safe. If the other dog reacts suddenly, it is vital that you can quickly remove your dog out of danger.
Keep a close eye on the other dog. If it bares its teeth, snarls, snaps, has a tensed body language, or shows any sign of aggression, then please pull/pick your dog immediately to safety.
Do not jerk on your dog’s leash as that might heighten its anxiety. Calmly say “Come on boy/girl, let’s go”. Thank the owner and walk away.
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3 Tips to Stop your Dog from Sniffing Human Buttholes & Crotches
It can be very embarrassing to your guests when your dog comes over and sniffs at their buttholes or crotches.
Although it is a natural instinct in dogs, things can get awkward for humans. Dr. Victoria Schade of PetMD recommends
1. Ask your guests to present their hand first for your dog to sniff
Ask your guests to let Fido sniff their hand. This act can convey plenty of information to your pet without any embarrassment to your guest. It will also help your dog focus on something else besides the guests’ private parts!
2. Train your dog in basic obedience
Basic obedience training includes simple commands like come, sit, stay etc. When your dog obeys you and follows these commands, you can avoid many awkward situations.
Simply give a command like ‘STAY’ or ‘SIT’ when your dog starts its sniffing behavior. You can also treat your pet right away as soon as it follows the command, so it will understand that butt sniffing is not ‘acceptable behavior’ as far as humans go. This positive reinforcement is a lot better than punishing or hitting your dog.
3. Channel its sense of smell
Your dog needs some pleasant activities to do which can help it engage its sense of smell in a creative manner. You can give it a snuffle mat toy which lets your dog use its nose to sniff out the treats.
Sniff training engages your dog physically and mentally and can even relieve stress in dogs. It is also a great way to engage dogs when they are home alone and can prevent excessive barking, destructive behaviors, etc.
Also Read: What Happens When a Dog Holds its Poop Too Long (#1 is Astonishing)
