Why Do Dogs Sniff Some People More Than Others?

Learn why dogs sniff some people more.

Have you ever had this experience? You have a party, and your dog spends more time sniffing and rubbing on one or two people than doing anything else. In fact, other dog-lovers at the party may even try to get your dog's attention to no avail. He's only interested in certain folks.

Why do dogs do that?

Dogs Smell More Than You May Believe

Dogs have a sense of smell that just won't quit. They can learn incredible things by sniffing people, including information about hormones, meals, home environment, and things the person has done throughout the day.

When a dog seems to fixate on a person, insisting on sniffing them like crazy, it's most likely because there's a fascinating scent on them.

What if a Dog Sniffs Crotches?

Some dogs tend to focus their sniffing efforts on people's private areas. That's probably because more information about the person is available there, where sweat glands are abundant and active.

However, since crotch-sniffing is embarrassing and not usually embraced by people, you will probably want to dissuade that behavior. Not to worry. You can teach your dog not to sniff that sensitive human area. Learn how: "Crotch Sniffing."

So, Why Do Dogs Ignore People Who Want Their Attention?

Your dog is sniffing people who are interesting, but why do they ignore folks who are desperately trying to get the pooch's attention? Well, odds are they just aren't interesting enough. Your dog might find the person's current odor boring. It's nothing personal—it's impossible to know what dogs are thinking and why they find one person's scents more interesting than another's.

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