Why Do Dogs Sniff Your Crotch?

If you've ever been greeted by a dog whose nose targets your crotch, you're not alone. Dogs sniff crotches to gather information and to get attention.

But while crotch-sniffing is completely natural for dogs, it can still be embarrassing, especially when it happens with guests. Knowing the reasons behind this common canine behavior will help you appreciate your dog's incredible sense of smelland give you options for redirection.

Why Do Dogs Sniff Crotches?

Dogs sniff crotches for two primary purposes: to gather information and to get attention. 

Gathering Information Through Scent 

The main reason why dogs smell your crotch is simple: They’re gathering an enormous amount of information about you.

Dogs possess an extraordinary sense of smell. Studies indicate that they have approximately 300 million smell receptors in their noses, in comparison to humans who have only 5–6 million.  

Dogs’ receptors are also more sensitive. So combined, it’s estimated that the canine sense of smell is 10,000–100,000 times stronger than ours. 

The smells associated with human bodies are hard for dogs to ignore. Research indicates that dogs are able to determine a person’s emotional state, health status, diet, reproductive status, and more just by using their nose.

And the crotch region is an especially good source of smells, in part because it contains a high concentration of apocrine sweat glands. Apocrine sweat is rich in chemosignals—smells that can affect the behavior of people and animals, including dogs.   

Seeking Attention 

The second reason dogs engage in crotch sniffing is because they've learned it gets them results.

Dogs quickly figure out which actions are hard for people to ignore, and this definitely applies to crotch-sniffing behavior.  

From a dog's perspective, any reaction is better than being ignored. Even if you’ve scolded your dog for crotch-sniffing, you’ve inadvertently reinforced the behavior and made it more likely to occur in the future.

Is It Normal for a Dog to Sniff Your Crotch?

Yes. A dog sniffing someone’s genital areas is a completely normal and natural behavior. It's also probably related to how dogs greet and learn about each other.  

When dogs meet, they typically sniff each other's rear ends, where anal glands secrete chemosignals that convey information about the dog's identity, health, reproductive status, emotions, and more. 

When dogs interact with people, crotch-sniffing becomes the closest equivalent to the rear-end sniffing they would engage in with other dogs.  

So, when a dog sniffs your crotch, they’re using the same social and investigatory behaviors they would with their own species—but adapted to the fact that they’re interacting with people.

In other words: Your dog is simply being a dog, using their most powerful sense to learn about their environment and the people in it. 

How To Stop Your Dog From Sniffing Crotches

While crotch-sniffing is normal behavior for dogs, people tend not to like it. Fortunately, you can teach your dog not to sniff crotches while still respecting their remarkable sense of smell. 

Reinforce Basic Training 

Start with basic training. If your dog reliably responds to "sit" and "stay" cues, you can stop crotch-sniffing before it happens.  

For example, when guests arrive, ask your dog to sit and stay before they approach. Reward your dog generously with training treats and praise for maintaining the sit position while greeting people appropriately. 

You can also teach a "leave it" cue specifically for redirecting unwanted sniffing behavior. When you see your dog moving to sniff someone's crotch, ask them to "leave it" followed by a request for an alternative behavior, like "sit" or "come,"that’s incompatible with crotch-sniffing.

Substitute Other Greeting Behaviors 

Your dog still needs a way to greet and gather information about new people.  

When someone meets your dog, tell them to offer the back of their hand for your dog to sniff. This allows your dog to gather scents from a location that's more acceptable to most people. The back of the hand still carries plenty of information for your dog. 

After the dog has had a chance to sniff for a few seconds, reward your dog to reinforce calm greeting behavior. 

Respecting Your Dog's Sense of Smell 

The simple truth is that dogs need to use their nose to stay engaged with the world. Giving your dog lots of sniffing opportunities can help them stay calm and content.

• Start by hiding dog treats around your home or yard and encouraging your pup to find them.  

• Go on sniff walks, where you allow your dog to set the pace and stop whenever they want to investigate interesting smells.  

• Snuffle mats, which hide treats within layers of fabric, offer your dog a chance to engage their nose indoors.  

• Interactive puzzle toys that dispense treats engage your dog's problem-solving abilities and sense of smell simultaneously.  

• Scent work training is an excellent option for advanced sniffers. 

By understanding why dogs sniff your crotch and providing proper training along with plenty of opportunities to engage their sense of smell, you can help your dog express their natural behaviors in ways that are comfortable for you and for other people.