If your dog has ever greeted you with an overly curious sniff — especially in an awkward spot — don’t worry, it’s completely normal. Dogs understand the world through scent, not sight or words. That nose isn’t being rude; it’s gathering information about who you are, how you feel, and where you’ve been.

With hundreds of millions of scent receptors, dogs can pick up on everything from emotions to illness. When they sniff near the groin or armpits, they’re detecting pheromones — natural chemical signals that tell them about identity and mood, just like how dogs sniff each other’s tails.

If it makes you uncomfortable, gently redirect them. Trainers suggest teaching your dog to sniff your hand instead when greeting people.

In the end, that sniff is simply a dog’s way of saying, “Hi, I know you, and you’re part of my pack.”