There have been many occasions when I have been embarrassed by my dog smelling someone’s crotch.
It seems odd to us, but the answer to why dogs smell your crotch is actually not as odd as you may think.
Have you ever gone to visit a dog-owning friend, and you can’t get their dog away from your crotch? It’s not only embarrassing but annoying as well.
Crotch sniffing in dogs is awkward, no matter what the situation.
Some dogs seem to do it more than others, but virtually every dog has this weird interest from time to time.
Why do dogs smell your crotch? There are a few explanations, and I’ll also share some ways to curb this behavior in your pooch.
Why Do Dogs Smell Your Crotch?
Research has shown that a dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 to 100,000 times greater than a human's.
Amazingly, for every 1 scent receptor we have, a dog has about 50!
For this reason, dogs use their strong sense of smell to learn about the world around them.
Dogs have a natural curiosity as well, so anything that smells different will pique their interest and get their noses going.
While humans experience the world through their five senses, dogs predominantly do so through their sense of smell.
They possess a highly sensitive nasal system that allows them to detect sensations, feelings, and health concerns precisely.
For example, you may not be able to guess that someone has diabetes just by sniffing them.
You may not understand that your friend is upset because of the odor, which is related to changes in the body’s hormones.
Amazingly, our canine companions can discriminate and assimilate various scents such as these.
For humans, a dog sniffing their crotch area may cause discomfort and uneasiness, but for dogs, it’s a way to understand the human.
Dogs are heavily scent-driven creatures. They sniff each other’s crotch and rear end areas to gather information about the other dog’s identity, health, and emotional state.
Similarly, dogs can learn a lot about humans just by sniffing them.
Why do dogs smell your crotch?
Identity
Everyone carries a distinct and unique scent, and dogs can differentiate between people based on their smell.
Did you know our body releases chemical substances like pheromones that relay specific information to your pet?
These pheromones are most prevalent in the armpits, groin, and female breasts.
The sweat glands in these regions of the body have the most concentrated levels of these substances as well.
Since your armpit is much harder for your dog to reach than your crotch area, that’s what your pup settles for.
Other factors that draw dogs to the genital area include temperature, sweat production, and personal hygiene habits.
There are so many things that a dog can learn about you just from sniffing these pheromones.
Emotional State
Dogs can detect what a person feels based on the chemical changes in a person’s body odor.
Your dog can detect emotions such as fear, stress, happiness, and sadness just by the odor given off by chemical changes in your body.
Health Conditions
Similarly, dogs can detect underlying conditions such as certain types of cancer, diabetes, and seizures just by smelling a person.
Activities
Dogs may be able to pick up scents that give cues to an individual’s recent activities, such as whether they’ve visited a specific location, been drinking alcohol, or using other drugs.
If your dog is uneasy around another person whom they are usually friendly towards, it could be because they have a strange scent that leads your dog to believe they aren't trustworthy this time.
ALSO: Why Do Dogs Have Whiskers?
Other Animals
Have you ever thought that your dog would be mad at you when you pet another animal?
We all know that our dogs can detect the smell of other animals that we pet and snuggle with when we’re away from home.
Not only can this tell your dog if you’ve been around another animal, but it can also tell him helpful information about new people.
If the person has the odor of other dogs on them, they are likely a dog lover. If they don’t, it could be a sign that they are afraid or just generally don’t like dogs.
How to stop crotch sniffing for dogs
You cannot do much about your dog’s sniffing tendencies because they are deeply instinctual.
While you may not be able to change it completely, there are some things you can do to train your dog to sniff a more appropriate part of the body to avoid embarrassing and awkward moments for you and your guests.
Here is how to train your dog to seek out other areas of the body as a form of greeting (instead of the crotch area):
Positive Reinforcement Training Methods
Positive reinforcement is a training method in which you encourage specific behavior by giving rewards.
For example, if your dog associates sniffing a guest’s hand with receiving a treat, he’ll be less inclined to go towards their crotch area.
Teach “Leave It”
This part is self-explanatory. You will teach your dog to create an association between the “leave it” command and his tendency to sniff the crotch area of your guests.
When your dog acts like he's going to sniff someone's crotch, give the “leave it” command. Redirect your pet, and reward him for following the command.
Eventually, he will learn that when you say leave it, he needs to stop his crotch-sniffing behavior, and there may be a tasty reward if he obeys.
There's no shame in seeking professional help if needed.
A professional dog trainer can help you understand your dog's behavior, examine your training approach, and fill in the gaps to ensure its effectiveness.
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