If you have ever had the pleasure of having a puppy in your family, you know the classic greeting your pal uses when they encounter another canine: the good ol’ butt sniff.
Us dog guardians usually giggle at this interaction that goes so strongly against our human sensibilities. However, that is not the case with our dog friends.
In fact, it seems like exchanging sniffs is actually the polite thing to do in the dog world. I have seen some dogs get pretty grouchy at the dog park when they let a stranger sniff all they want, but then get squat in return.
Have you ever wondered why pretty much every dog ever does this?
The answer lies in anal glands. Yeah, gross I know, but hear me out here because it is actually sort of cool.
How it works is basically that all dogs have anal sacs, and within them are glands that secrete chemicals and give off different scents and pheromones. The chemicals that are produced depend on a series of variables such as diet, environment, and age. Humans are incapable of smelling these chemicals, but dogs can because their sense of smell is anywhere from 10,000-100,000 times stronger than ours.
The scents of the chemicals provide various information about the dog. For instance, by smelling your dog’s butt, another dog will immediately know their gender, health condition, and even mood.
Sniffing butts really is how dogs introduce themselves to each other. It is totally weird, and incredible!