Your dog licks your privates out of natural curiosity, scent-based information gathering (pheromones, diet, health, menstrual/pregnancy cues), affection, and a carryover from puppyhood grooming instincts; they're essentially "reading" your chemical signals and showing care, though it's important to redirect this behavior if it makes you uncomfortable using training like "leave it".
While dogs are driven to smell everything around them, apocrine glands are to blame for their obsession with certain areas of our bodies. Apocrine glands are a type of sweat gland that, in humans, are found in areas with hair, predominately the armpits and groin.
Normally though, dogs just like to sniff private parts because of the pheromones that provide them with an abundance of information.
As uncomfortable as it is, dogs sniff crotches as a way to greet people and find out more about them. They have 300 million sensors in their noses, and they use them to navigate the world around them. (By comparison, humans only have 6 million.)
Older dogs may develop increased scent-marking or obsessive licking behaviors due to anxiety or medical issues. A male dog fixating on a spayed female's bottom and ear can indicate curiosity, anxiety, or detection of an underlying health issue like infection or hormonal changes.
Similarly when a Dog urine marks he's laying down information for other dogs on who was there, his size, and state of alarm - is there a bigger dog or a threat in that area. So when your dog sniffs your crotch - he's greeting you. When he does that and snuggles up to you, he's saying you make me feel safe and loved.
In the dog world, a moderate amount of licking is part of normal grooming behavior. For example, a male or female dog may lick the genital area after urinating to clean the area. When this is the case, licking is only related to elimination and is not persistent. Just a quick swipe of the area takes care of business.
The reason dogs are particularly interested in sniffing private areas is due to the concentration of scent glands in those regions. These glands produce pheromones, which convey a lot of information to a dog.
It's important to keep in mind where people have most of their scent glands (feet, armpits, genitals, face and mouth) It's natural for a dog to want to smell and or lick/taste your feet, face, armpits, genitals, mouth and any area that has our scent glands and bacteria concentrated.
Can Dogs Sense Periods? Yes, they definitely can. Dogs have up to 300 million scent receptors in their noses. Humans only have about six million.
In perfect conditions, dogs can pick up a sent up to 12 miles away. A dog's extraordinary ability to pickup scents as far away as 12 miles have made them invaluable assets in using smell to find lost adults, detecting illness in people, and for law enforcement.
Numerous studies have shown that dogs can detect specific odors associated with certain illnesses, such as cancer and diabetes. Their ability to detect these scent changes is believed to be due to the volatile organic compounds emitted by the human body when it is unwell.
Most mammals, including humans, have apocrine glands. For humans, these glands are concentrated in the armpits and genitals. Since a dog can often only reach a human's genitals, that's where they head to gather information.
They Can Smell It
Our human body gives off different scents depending on our health status and every human being gives off a unique scent too – even identical twins give off different smells. So, if your body changes your scent will too, so that's usually how dogs can tell if you're sick, or even pregnant.
Excessive licking around nipples can indicate irritation from allergies, parasites, or localized infections. Symptoms include hair loss and redness without odor.
Tasting their surroundings. Your dog can pick up on a lot more information using their nose and mouth than humans can. Because of their heightened senses, dogs will sometimes lick another dog's urine as a way of understanding the information that they smell in greater detail.
Licking is a natural and instinctive behaviour to dogs. For them it's a way of grooming, bonding, and expressing themselves. Your dog may lick you to say they love you, to get your attention, to help soothe themselves if they're stressed, to show empathy or because you taste good to them!
Yes, dogs can smell your fear (but it probably doesn't matter) - The Cynophobia Clinic.
The 3-3-3 rule for dogs is a guideline for new owners, especially for rescues, showing a dog's typical adjustment phases: 3 Days (overwhelmed, decompression), 3 Weeks (settling in, learning routine, showing personality), and 3 Months (feeling at home, building trust, fully integrated). It's a framework to set expectations, reminding owners to be patient and provide structure, as every dog's timeline varies.
You shouldn't do anything. Dogs have no concept of appropriate and inappropriate. They just lick. If you're worried about bacteria, a shower will take care of that, but you'll be fine.
Cobbing in dogs is a gentle nibbling behavior, often with the front teeth, that resembles a person nibbling corn off a cob; it's usually a sign of affection, grooming, play, or a way to seek attention, but can also indicate boredom, anxiety, or stress, often seen in calm moments or as a self-soothing habit from puppyhood. While generally harmless and a form of social bonding or grooming, excessive cobbing might signal underlying issues like boredom, skin problems, or anxiety, requiring attention.
Labrador Retriever
This outgoing and friendly dog breed has the top spot as being the lickiest of them all. They love to show affection in this way and the Labrador Retriever is friendly with all age groups so they are likely to lick all types of people.
Anxiety and Stress: Just like humans might nervously tap their feet or bite their nails, dogs can develop excessive licking as a coping mechanism for stress or anxiety. This could be triggered by separation anxiety, loud noises, changes in their environment, or even boredom.
Grooming and Social Bonding
Dogs lick each other as a form of social grooming, reinforcing their pack bonds. While dogs aren't as self-sufficient as cats when it comes to grooming, gentle licking can help keep their coat clean and clear dirt and debris from their limbs and paws.
Dogs sniff humans' genital regions because people's apocrine (sweat) glands produce pheromone scents that convey information. When a female ovulates, menstruates, or is nursing, this may cause a change in pheromones. Dogs most often will sniff the groin area of strangers.