Why Do Dogs Sniff & Lick Their Own Bum?

Dogs exhibit many different behaviors and as it’s difficult to know what all of these mean as they cannot talk to us, it can be difficult to figure out why they do them. One of these weird behaviours is sniffing and licking theirs and others’ bums. But what does this mean?

Why Do Dogs Sniff & Lick Their Own Bum?

 

There are a number of different reasons why dogs will sniff and lick their own bums. It might just be something they do all the time anyway. They might be bored. It might be their way of coping with stress. Or, they could be quite ill.

 

When Is It Abnormal?

This is only abnormal if your dog doesn’t usually sniff or lick their own butt. If they don’t usually do this, it may be best for you to consider the reasons for why they’re doing it and possibly take them to the vet to get checked out.

Is My Dog Sick?

There is a chance that your dog could be sick if they are sniffing or licking their bum. This will all depend on if there are any other signs they are exhibiting or if it’s normal for them to do this or not. If this isn’t normal, your dog could be sick and you might want to take them to the vet.

Should I Take It To The Vet?

In some cases, you should take your dog to the vet as them sniffing and licking their bum could be a sign that they are ill. There could be something wrong with their anal glands or they could have an allergy.

 

Only you know your dog best and only you will know whether they need to go to the vets or not. If you know that this is normal behaviour then they don’t need to go to the vets. However, if this is abnormal and they are exhibiting any other worrying behaviours, you may want to take them to the vets.

My Dog Keeps Sniffing And Licking His Bum

This could be due to a number of different reasons. In some cases, it’s just a natural part of your dogs behaviour and shouldn’t be too much to worry about. However, there may be some cases where a vet needs to be involved, but only you know your dog well enough to decide on the possible reasons behind this.

Why Do Dogs Sniff Other Dogs Bottoms

Dogs have their own pheromones and these come out when the dog does a poop as each poop has it’s own unique smell. This is why dogs will sniff each others’ butts as they want to try and get information about the dog.

Dog Keeps Sniffing My Bum?

Similar to the reason why dogs sniff each other’s bums, your dog is likely sniffing your bum to smell the pheromones you release. These pheromones help tell your dog more about you, so they’ll sniff you to get this information.

Why Do Dogs Sniff & Lick Their Own Bum?

There are a number of reasons why dogs will sniff and lick their own bums, including:

It’s A Natural Habit For Them

In some cases, your dog licking their bum is completely natural and isn’t anything for you to worry about. It could just be something they do, or they may be grooming themselves. You should know if this is natural for your dog or not as you will know if they do it all the time or not.

Blockage In Anal Glands/Sacs

If your dog’s anal glads/sacs fail to empty, this can cause blockages in them. You will be able to tell this is the affected area because your dog will either be scooting along or licking this area excessively. In this case, the vet may need to get involved.

They Are Feeling Gassy

Just like us, dogs can also be gassy. However, even though we know what’s just happened, they might not. So they might sniff their butt to try and figure out what has just happened and to investigate, as is in their nature to do so.

They Are Bored

If your dog’s mind isn’t stimulated enough, it’s very easy for them to become bored. In this case, they may take to sniffing their butt in order to ocupy their mind. If you don’t want them to do this, simply take them on a walk, do some training, or just play with them.

Comforting Behaviour

You will often find that dogs like to lick themselves as a way of calming themselves down. It may just be that your dogs way of comforting themselves is to lick their butt. It can be their way of coping with their anxiety if something has scared them and this shouldn’t be anything too worrying.

Cope With Stress

Linked to comforting behaviour is that dogs may experience stressful situations, such as loud noises or a new environment. Their way of coping with this stress is to either sniff at or lick their butt.

Allergies

If your dog has allergies around their bum area, this is likely to make it quite itchy. A shampoo with probiotics in it is needed as this helps restore the good bacteria and they also help to ease any other symptoms and to protect them from any other allergies.

Worms

If your dog has worms, these live in your dog’s intestines and can end up in either their anus or in their poop. Your dog should be given regular treatment for worms so that they can avoid getting them.

Fleas

Dogs are treated for fleas every few months and if this doesn’t happen, this means they can get fleas. Fleas can cause an allergic reaction in dogs from the saliva when they bite them. In this case, use a flea comb and shampoo/conditioner to get rid of them and prevent it from happening.

Bacterial Infections

It is possible for this to happen, particularly if the skin around the anal area is punctured in some way. This needs to be checked straight away and treated as urinating and pooping can only cause further problems if this is left untreated.

Fungal Infections

As well as bacterial infections, fungal infections pretty much work in the same way in terms of how it affects your dog. Again, if these also go untreated, they can cause further problems whenever your dog goes to the toilet.

Parasites

Parasites are the least likely reason behind your dog licking their bum, however, if everything else has been ruled out, it’s important for this to be considered. These live in the intestines, which is why your dog will be licking this area if this is the cause of it.

Tumor

Your dog could be sniffing their butt because they have a tumor. They will be doing this because they can feel some discomfort around this area so are trying to figure out what’s going on. This may also come with diarrhoea, painful excretion, and blood in their poop.

Dangers Of Dogs Sniffing & Licking Their Own Bum

There are a number of dangers of your dog sniffing and licking their own bum, including:

Spreading Of Bacterial & Fungal Infections

If either of these types of infections go untreated, these can cause problems for your dog. As long as your dog has this, whenever they go to the toilet, they can only cause them even more pain and discomfort.

Make Worse Anal Abscess

This is what could happen if their anal glands are infected and are left untreated. This is why if you believe or know there is something wrong with their anal glands, you should take them to the vet immediately to get this taken care of.

Increased Damaged To Anal Sacs/Glads

There is a chance that if your dog continues to lick at this area when their anal sacs/glands are involved, this area can become infected. This is why your dog needs to go to the vet as they will be able to prevent this area from becoming infected.

What To Do If Your Dog Sniffs Their Own Bum?

There are a number of different things you should do if your dog sniffs their own bum, including:

How To Get Rid Of Dog Anal Gland Smell

There are a number of ways you can get rid of this smell, including expressing their anal glands, using pet wipes to clean the area, or having their anal glands removed. If you are expressing their anal glands, just make sure that someone who knows how to do this does it to avoid discomfort.

Do It Hurt A Dog To Express Glands?

It could possibly hurt your dog to express their anal glands, however, this is more if you are trying to express them but don’t know what you’re doing. This is why you need to get either a vet or someone who knows how to do this to express them to avoid your dog from being in pain.

How Can I Express My Dog’s Glands Naturally?

You can express your dog’s anal glands naturally by squeezing them gently. However, it is recommended that if you haven’t done this before or don’t know what you’re doing that you ask a vet or someone else to do it, as incorrectly doing this could cause a trauma.

How Often Do You Express Dog Glands?

You only need to express your dog’s anal glands if they are having an issue with them. If this is the case, they should be expressed every three to four weeks to prevent any other infections or impactions from happening again.

What Breeds Of Dogs Need Their Glands Expressed?

Most dog breeds that are likely to regularly need their anal glands expressed are the ones on the smaller side, but that doesn’t mean that larger dog breeds are exempt from this.

 

Some of the main dog breeds that are likely to need their anal glands expressed includes toy and miniature poodles, chihuahuas, lhasa apsos, cocker spaniels, basset hounds, and beagles.

How Do You Know If Your Dog Needs His Glands Squeezed?

One sign that your dog needs their anal glands squeezed is if they are continuously licking at this area or scooting along the floor. They may also show signs of pain and discomfort, but this could also be signs of other things which may involve a trip to the vet.

How Much Is It To Get Your Dog’s Glands Expressed?

This depends on whether they are infected or not. If they aren’t infected, they’ll probably cost in the region of $50. However, if they are infected and this is a regular occurrence or involves surgery, it could cost anywhere between $100 and $1000.

 

References

 

Why Does My Dog Love Sniffing My Crotch?

https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/anal-glands-dogs