Do You Know Why Your Dog Sniffs Each Other's Butts?

Do You Know Why Your Dog Sniffs Each Other's Butts?

Pups have a funny little habit – they like sniffing other animals’, and even some humans’, butts! You’ve probably wondered why pups exhibit this rather indecent-looking behavior, and there’s a good explanation for this.

It has to do with the way a pup’s body is built!

Around a pup’s rectum are glands which secrete a pungent fluid, and they serve as your pup’s personal, biological identity card. Using this fluid, a pup can leave their identity on certain areas to tag it as theirs. So pups sniff each other’s behinds in order to catch a whiff of the odor in order to use as identification for their new friends.

It’s important that pup parents know enough about their furry friends’ glands, as due to their location, they can sometimes catch infections and cause problems. So if you notice that your dogs are scooting around or itching their butts, or that they seem to be experiencing discomfort in that area, it may be time to see a vet. You can find out more about those health issues here, or you can read up more about your pup’s butt – as odd as that sounds – here!

If you didn’t know this interesting fact about pups and their strange butt-sniffing behaviors, then now you do! So the next time a pup starts sniffing a guest’s crotch, know that it’s an innocent action that is the same as asking for someone’s name! Do like and share this information with other pup Mommies and Daddies!

Back to blog