The Reason Behind Dogs Sniffing Each Other’s Butts
Dogs have always been the human’s best friend for a long time. We depend on our dogs almost every single time, whether we are lonely or need some security, or just need a friend to play with, we just call them. And in return, these cute little ones always come to us, sticking their tongue out and giving that adorable, sweet little expression.
Well, with that cute face of theirs, comes to some weird and wild behavior which some like and others might find it gross, like the habit of licking and biting everything they see. Many times dogs also show the action which may be referred to as intelligent and sometimes they just act dumb.
Well, the weirdest or I say the most common behavior of a dog everyone might be familiar with is their habit of sniffing each other’s butt whenever they meet with their companions. In this act the most convenient are the smaller ones, well, maybe because their nose can easily reach the butt of others.
But why to sniff butt
If you think that this behavior is embarrassing, you must know that this butt-sniffing routine is no different from you using your eyeballs to note someone’s hair, clothing, and appearance. Dogs can even determine the mood of another dog through sniffing their butt, the same way we notice another human’s spirit by seeing a smile or a frown on their face.
How they do it?
Starting with their sniffing capabilities, there is no doubt that dogs are far better in sniffing every detail than rational human beings, humans have about 5 million olfactory receptors in their noses. In contrast, dogs have around 150 million to 300 million.
Dogs have an organ known as Jacobson’s organ, also known as the vomeronasal organ, which is present in their snout it has openings in the roof of their mouth and a direct connection to their brain. To be clear, it does not work by merely smelling like we do with the scent. This organ is involved in the Flehmen response, and it detects the pheromones, chemical signals released to members of the same species for social and sexual communication.
But why only butt
Dogs have anal sacs near the base of their tails, which are smelly to us (avoid trying to smell it). But, these dogs are not interested in that poopy smell, but what they are looking for is apocrine glands, which even humans have, these are the particular type of sweat glands which contains the information in the pheromones manufactured by those glands.
These chemicals are processed by Jacobson’s organ, which doesn’t treat smell as we know them. This chemical cocktail is what dogs “read” to learn another dog’s gender, mating status, mood, health, what they’ve eaten lately, and probably much more. There are apocrine glands all over a dog’s body, but those two butt sacs are the easiest to access.
Best sniffers
So now, after discussing their sniffing capabilities, we must consider the breed of dog, which is professional in sniffing. BLOODHOUND is a special breed of dogs, a bloodhound’s sense of smell is so spot on that it can be admitted as evidence in a court of law, they were initially bred for hunting deer and other wild animals. They have a unique ability to discern human scent over great distances, even after days. These dogs weigh from 36 to 72 kg (80 to 160 lbs) and are 58 to 69 cm (23 to 27 inches) tall. This breed of dog generally remains gentle and is tireless when following a smell. Bloodhounds have an affectionate and even-tempered nature with humans, making them excellent family pets.
