I'll let you sniff mine if you let me sniff yours: The oddities of the canine greeting

It wasn't until I became a pet owner that I discovered a whole new world of "inappropriate" behaviour. I can remember the embarrassment I felt when my Border Collie "Brando" started sniffing another dog's bottom at the park. I had never seen such a thing in my life.

I would crack a little grin to other pet owners and apologise whilst tugging on Brando's leash. I was gobsmacked when a passerby told me "it's ok" and that "they all do it". I soon learned that it was a dog's way of saying hello! Funnily enough, like humans - some dogs are not comfortable with this and will tuck their tail between their legs and offer their nose for inspection instead.

The scent glands of a dog are tucked away down south; so sniffing another dog is their way of gaining information about the other dog such as their sex, health, age and what they usually eat. These glands carry a distinct scent - like DNA - which is unique to each dog.

Once the dogs have established identity and trust, they will decide whether to stop and play or walk away. When Brando meets a new dog, I often cringe during the sniffing phase because I know the greeting can only go 1 of 2 ways: (1) If it's a bitch, Brando will be on his best behaviour and (2) If it's a male, Brando's tail shoots for the sky and the dominance challenge begins!

Finally, when a dog is familiar with another pooch, you will notice that they only have a quick sniff before getting on with things. This quick sniff is just to confirm that "yes - we know each other and I'll now be on my way!"

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