Have you ever had your dog come up and give your crotch a good sniff? It can be a little uncomfortable, especially when guests are around. But before you get embarrassed or push your pup away, you should know there’s a real reason behind this behavior — and it’s not as weird as it seems.

Dogs greet the world through their noses. Unlike humans who rely mostly on sight and sound, dogs are led by scent. Their noses are powerhouses — equipped with around 220 million scent receptors compared to our measly 5 million. That means dogs can pick up on smells we don’t even know exist. So when your dog sticks its nose between your legs, it’s not being rude — it’s just being a dog.

Veterinarian Jennifer Sperry, speaking with Rover.com, explains that dogs are drawn to areas with strong scents. Your crotch is packed with apocrine sweat glands, which produce a smell that’s totally unique to you. These glands are also found in places like your armpits and chest, but your crotch is simply more accessible — especially for medium and large dogs.

To a dog, your groin area is kind of like a personal ID card. It tells them a lot about you: your gender, your mood, your health, and even whether you’ve been around other animals recently. That’s why dogs often greet each other by sniffing rear ends. It’s not weird to them — it’s just how they gather information.