Butt Sniffing

A well socialized dog will not mind having their butt sniffed, it's how dogs greet and how they find out information about each other. I have met a few dogs who are afraid of other dogs sniffing their back ends. They probably had a bad experience at some point, possibly being bit by another dog on the rear end. They snarl and air snap at any dog that gets close to their butt. When my dog encounters these dogs he just rolls onto his back and that usually makes the other dog calm down.

I think that there is a "big dog" thing that the less well-mannered dog will sniff first. There is a young, off-leash, adult that "assaults" us when we walk by. He isn't allowed to play, so he does a quick "submissive" mouth lick, then promptly gooses my dog a little more deeply than needed. He is harmless, just eager and lacking dog etiquette (geek rather than bully. My dog doesn't try to sniff him, just tries to cover his own butt.... This is a case of where the owner (me) has to protect my dog from a non-aggressive, over-enthusiastic dog.

We took Zoey to "meet" a dog at the pound, and at first it was going pretty good. Then he tried to sniff he fanny and she tucked her tail between her legs and spun around to face him. after that she wanted him arms length away.

Wembley responds to butt sniffing with a return sniff...but sometimes he'll skip the sniff and go straight for humping

Izze hated her butt sniffed & she nevver sniffed other dogs butts, it was the only thiung she would snark at other dogs for, she was pretty good with other dogs all & all.