Why Do Dogs Sniff Each Other’s Behinds?
This may seem weird – or even disgusting – to us humans. Dogs sniffing each other’s behinds is pretty much the equivalent of us greeting each other by shaking hands.
But Doesn’t It Smell Terrible?
Dogs have an amazing sense of smell. This is their greatest sense.
They have a part of their nose called the Jacobson’s Organ. This allows them to smell past the aroma of faeces and detect the much-needed scent of that particular dog.
Every dog has its own identifiable smell. This smell or pheromone is released from the glands around its butt (I know, gross right!).
Why Do They Do It?
This identifiable smell contains a “profile” of that dog.
This might include:
- whether they’re female or male,
- on heat,
- how old they are,
- what they’ve been eating,
- and even their mood.
It also allows dogs to recognize other pooches they’ve met before. Ultimately, this allows dogs to “make friends” and socialize with other dogs.
Therefore, don’t be alarmed when your friendly pooch yanks you in the direction of another dog’s vacant butt – it’s just their way of saying “Hello, how are you today?”
