If your dog has been sniffing you a lot, this post will show you a number of likely reasons why and what you can do about them.
So, why does my dog sniff me so much? Likely reasons why your dog sniffs you a lot are that it is smelling for food, you have unusual scents or smells on you, or that it is being affectionate.
There are a number of possible reasons why your dog sniffs you so much and it might be due to a combination of them. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.
Why does my dog sniff me so much?
Below are likely causes and what would make them more likely.
Nature
Dogs will naturally sniff their surroundings a lot to find out what other animals have been around. If your dog also sniffs other things around you a lot, it is likely that it is also sniffing you to find out if other animals have been around you.
It is smelling for food
If your dog does not sleep with you and it sniffs you when it first sees you, a likely cause is that it is smelling to see if you have food on you. This would be more likely if it stops sniffing you as much after you have fed it. In this case, it could help to feed it earlier than usual.
It is finding out about you
Dogs will sniff people in order to find out about them. Since dogs have a very good sense of smell, they can find out a lot about people by sniffing them such as their health status and who they have been around. If your dog sniffs you when it first sees, it is also likely that your dog is doing it because it is finding out about how you are.
It you have unusual smells on you
Another possible reason why your dog has been doing it is that you have had unusual smells on you recently. This would be more likely if your dog has been sniffing you a lot since you did something such as wear a new fragrance or use a new smelling washing detergent.
You have unusual scents on you
Another possible cause is that you have different scents on you. If your dog has started sniffing you a lot since you started hanging out with different people at work or outside, it would be likely that your dog is picking up on their scents.
It wants you to get up and feed it
If your dog comes and sniffs you while you are still in bed or when you are sat down, the cause could be that it wants you to get up and feed it. This would be especially likely if it does it at around the same time that you usually feed it.
It is showing affection
It might also be the case that it is actually showing affection towards you. This would be more likely if your dog also licks you when it does it and it shows signs of excitement such as wagging its tail.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.
If your dog has always sniffed you a lot
If your dog did not always sniff you a lot, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it might be the case that it learned that the behavior gets rewarded or because you started having different scents or smells on you.
What is different when your dog does not sniff you
If your dog does not always sniff you, it would help to consider what is different when it does sniff you. For example, if it does it when you arrive home, it is likely that it is smelling to see if you have food with you.
How to get my dog to stop sniffing me so much?
Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.
Redirect its focus
One option would be to redirect its focus when it seems likely to start sniffing you. Ways to redirect its focus would be to give it a bone or toy or to get it to perform a trick.
Avoid encouraging it
It could also be the case that you have encouraged the behavior. Instead, it would help to avoid rewarding it when it sniffs you and to reward it when it does not sniff you so much.
Get help
If your dog has been doing it excessively and it has been behaving unusually, it could also help to take it for a checkup with a vet. By doing so, you should be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular dog.
Let it do it
It is not unusual for dogs to sniff their owners and their surroundings a lot. If your dog has not been behaving unusually in other ways, it is likely that your dog has been doing it naturally. In this case, it would be easiest to let your dog continue doing it.