There is no delicate way to ask. This particular issue is as sensitive as a dog’s sense of smell. To address why dogs sniff rear ends,
Do dogs really have a good sense of smell?
Like humans, dogs have five basic neurological senses: taste, touch, hearing, sight, and smell. Of these senses, smell takes the lead in the canine world. A dog’s ability to smell is far more advanced than ours. An average dog has a sense of smell that is about 100,000 times more sensitive than his owner’s partly because dog noses contain 150 million olfactory receptors while human noses only have 5 million. And dogs devote about 30% of their brain mass to the detection and identification of odors, while humans use a mere 5% for olfactory purposes.
Plus, dogs have an additional tool to enhance their sense of smell. A special organ called Jacobson’s organ (also known as the vomeronasal organ) is located inside the nasal cavity and opens into the roof of the mouth behind the upper incisors. This amazing organ serves as a secondary olfactory system designed specifically for chemical communication. The nerves from Jacobson’s organ lead directly to the brain and are different from the nerves in the olfactory tissue of the nose in that they do not respond to ordinary smells. In fact, these nerve cells respond to a range of substances that often have no odor at all. In other words, they work to detect “undetectable” odors.
Jacobson’s organ communicates with the part of the brain that deals with mating. By identifying pheromones, it provides male and female dogs with the information they need to determine if a member of the opposite sex is available for breeding. In addition, this organ enhances the sense of smell that newborn puppies need to find their mother’s milk source. Jacobson’s organ allows puppies to identify their mother from other nursing dams. If a puppy is placed between two nursing mothers he will move to the one that gave birth to him.
"Jacobson’s organ communicates with the part of the brain that deals with mating."
The two separate parts of the dog’s odor detection system, the nose and Jacobson’s organ, work together to provide delicate sensibilities that neither system could achieve alone. When the dog curls his lips and flares his nostrils (similar to horses), he opens up Jacobson’s organ, increases the exposure of his nasal cavity to aromatic molecules, and essentially becomes a remarkably efficient smelling machine. Other ways this might happen may be through panting and lapping at the same time.
Do dogs use smell to communicate?
When two people meet, they evaluate body language, facial expressions and tone of voice to quickly assess each other. With this information, they may shake hands or hug, share a casual verbal greeting, overflow with tears of joy, or they may totally ignore each other. Dogs may not verbalize, shake hands, or hug like humans, but they do assess each other and gather lots of information from body language. When two dogs meet they usually walk in circles while scrutinizing demeanor and posture. Are the ears back? Is the tail wagging? Are the hackles raised?
Dogs have an advantage over people in that they use their keen sense of smell, along with a visual assessment, to provide vital information about a new canine acquaintance. Their acute olfactory senses enhance communication by using biochemical compounds emitted by dogs as the basis for chemical communication. The chemical aromas identify gender and mood, and even communicate what a dog likes to eat. By simply smelling, a dog can determine if a new friend is male or female, happy or aggressive, or healthy or ill. Dogs get a general idea about each other with a quick sniff, but get more detailed information by getting up close and personal.
So how smelling each other's rear ends part of their communication?
What perplexes many pet owners is why dogs sniff this particular part of the anatomy. Why rear ends? Why not ears or feet? The answer is anatomical. Inside the rectum are two small sacs called anal glands which secrete a noxious smelling substance into the rectum through a pair of tiny openings. The glands are emptied naturally when the rectal sphincter muscles contract during a bowel movement. Pet owners are unaware of this occurrence since the odor of the anal glands is masked by the odor of the dog’s stool; however, dogs can definitely tell the difference.
"Because the odor is unique to every dog,
two dogs can quickly determine if they have met before."
Dogs sniff rear ends as a form of greeting and obtain vital information from the anal secretions. Is this dog friend or foe? Is he going to be a good “date”? Will he be aggressive? Is he feeling ill? And because the odor is unique to every dog, two dogs can quickly determine if they have met before. That aroma emanating from the anal region is a unique form of canine identification.
The manner in which dogs sniff rear ends can establish which of the two dogs is dominant and set the foundation of a canine relationship. The dominant dog will initiate the sniffing while the submissive dog waits his turn. A submissive dog may stop sniffing first and retreat. A dominant dog may growl to end the smelling session. Some dogs like to limit the information they give out and will simply sit down and clamp their tails over their rectums reducing the odor they emit.
Dogs also have a good scent memory that can identify other dogs they have not seen for years and who was the dominant member of the pair simply by smell. When dogs belonging to the same family are separated for a while, they use the sense of smell to catch up on things. Changes in odors may convey where the dog went, what he ate, and what he did.
In addition to chemical communication, there is another purpose to sniffing rear ends. Dogs smell rear ends as a calming mechanism. Performing this innate ritual soothes them and serves as a stress reliever.
It has been every dog's ritual to sniff the ground or the floor first before getting down to business. You might notice your puppy keeps sniffing the ground or that your adult dog always sniffs before going potty. But have you ever asked yourself why do dogs sniff before they pee? The answer? It's their way of communicating.
"Scent marking is one of the most amazing instinctual behavior of dogs. Your furbaby deposits his own odor in his pee (or poop) in his surroundings to mark it's his territory or to make a statement."
In this article, we've come up with a thorough explanation of why dogs sniff before they pee and answer why do dogs sniff everything. We’ll also share things you can to prevent your furbaby from peeing in inappropriate areas in your house over and over again.
Getting down to business
Scent marking is one of the most amazing instinctual behaviors that dogs take part in. Your furbaby deposits their own odor in their pee (or poop) in their surroundings to mark that it is their territory or to make a statement.
So, why do dogs sniff before they poop or pee? Other dogs who come upon your dog's pee or poop are able to tell a lot about your furbaby - how long they have stayed in the area, if your furbaby is in heat, and since dogs oftentimes pee when they are scared, it can also serve as an alert warning for danger for other dogs who come across it. When your dog sniffs before pooping or peeing, they are checking for scent marking from other dogs. So, if you have wondered why do dogs sniff the ground on walks, the answer is that they are using their instincts for safety and information.
Beyond this, according to Wag Walking, your dog may also be checking their own pee to check up on their own health. Dogs are very good at taking care of their own health as they were once originally from the wild. Some first-time pet parents will want to avoid letting their dogs sniff too much because they fear that it is not healthy for them to be around their pee or poop. A puppy sniffing a lot can be a sign of these instincts coming alive and is completely normal, they are exploring the world through their noses. So, if your puppy keeps sniffing the ground before they poop or pee, it is best to be patient and let them explore. Just make sure that they are not trying to eat their poop.
You can also encourage dogs to use their nose and natural instincts by providing them with a Forager™ Mat or Forager™ Bowl. These are snuffle mats and bowls designed to provide mental enrichment for dogs and allow them to use those instincts. If your dog is taking too much time sniffing on your walks, throw a few treats into their snuffle mat or snuffle bowl and let them go to town. The SoftSnout™ material is non-abrasive to pet noses and non-slip backing prevents sliding on your floors as your furbaby gets in their nose work.
Why it’s sometimes a problem
Though sniffing before peeing is a dog’s natural instinct, it is also particularly one of the main reasons why house-training problems are stressing out most pet parents. Some dogs will always pee at specific spots in the house. Pet parents will attempt to clean the mess by using common house cleaning products that are easily available, only for their dogs to pee on that area again!
Let's admit it, we’ve all experienced this and it drives us insane most of the time.
But why do dogs pee on the same spots again? Well, it's because ordinary housecleaning products may clean up the pee puddle but it will not remove the pee smell and that's why your furbaby pees there again.
Solving the problem
You know your dog best and you know the signs when they are about to pee. Aside from constantly sniffing the area around, they may also:
- display an uncharacteristically antsy and fidgety manner
- whimper
- cry a little to express his lack of comfort
- begin circling
- scratch or paw at the door
- return to a previously soiled area in the house
Messy pee cleanups can be stressful, especially if your furbaby constantly pees on places where they shouldn't. Here are some things you can try for your furbaby to avoid doing so:
Use pet stain remover products. As mentioned, ordinary housecleaning products may clean the pee puddles but are not able to completely remove the pee odor. To prevent your dog from peeing over and over again in a specific area, use cleaning products that are specifically made to remove pee stains and odor, like enzymatic cleaners.
Enzymatic cleaners, according to the Chicago Tribune, are any cleaning products that use enzymes in their formulas to help break down odor and stains. Enzymatic cleaners can break down both stains and odors, totally getting rid of strong pee smells rather than just covering them up with another smell. Moreover, it’s not just potty-related problems that enzymatic cleaners can be of great help. They’re also exceptionally effective at removing stains of soil and mud on your carpets and floors.
Let your furbaby wear diapers. If you don't want to deal with the cleaning at all, you can actually choose to have your furbaby wear dog diapers or dog belly bands. Pet Parents® Dog Diapers and Pet Parents® Belly Bands were designed to prevent accidents from turning into messes. Belly bands are an excellent way to prevent your male dog from marking inside your home. Male dogs are especially prone to marking, so, these washable belly bands are a great solution as you work on training and breaking the habit. Meanwhile diapers can be used for females and males for all sorts of messes.
These Pet Parents® products are made with our soft non-abrasive WickQuick® proprietary fabric that wicks any moisture or liquid away from the surface, helping prevent the occurrence of diaper rash and urine burns. This way, your dog stays comfortable and your house stays clean. These washable diapers and belly bands also have sewn-in pad layers that are great for any kind of mess, not just pee!
Neuter or spay. If dealing with the peeing messes and marking takes a lot of your time, you might want to consider having your furbaby neutered or spayed. According to The Nest, peeing is like a social networking for your dog and tells the neighboring dogs “I'm available.” Neutering a male dog greatly decreases household urine marking to about 50 to 60 percent, as stated by the ASPCA. It does not happen instantly after neutering or spaying and can take a few weeks before marking lessens or disappears. Not only does neutering or spaying help you in dealing with your furbaby’s peeing but also offers other benefits that will help better the life of your dog.
Place food where your dog usually pees.You may try to place food or treats in the place where your furbaby usually pees. Dogs do not like to “do their business” in places where they eat. If a food or a treat is on your furbaby's inappropriate peeing spot, they might change their minds. Just make sure that the spot is thoroughly cleaned before placing any food down to avoid sickness.
Potty train them. Potty training a dog requires time, patience, and commitment as this does not happen overnight. You may begin with indoor potty training, where you designate a specific area in your house for your dog to go potty. You may use Pawtect® Pads as your potty area. Reward your dog every time they use the Pawtect® Pads. If they don’t, avoid punishing them. Doing so will only scare them and the inappropriate peeing and marking will continue as long as you don’t see them doing so. Instead, call your dog’s attention and lead them to where the pads are.
Why do dogs sniff before they pee? Sniffing before peeing is an innate behavior in dogs but you really don't have to stress out so much about it. Although you might wonder, “why does my dog sniff everything,” it is important that your dog keeps sniffing to collect all the information they need to fulfill their instincts. If your dog turns sniffing to peeing indoors or marking, there are steps you can take to help prevent future accidents and efficient ways for your furbaby to avoid soiling the house. Allow your dog to sniff and utilize their canine instincts and keep up training to ensure that you are enjoying your time together.
"To prevent your dog from peeing over and over again in a specific area, use cleaning products that are specifically made to remove pee stain and odor."