8 Reasons Why My Dog Sniffs My Ears (And How to Stop It)
If you’re a pet parent, sometimes you might have thought, why do my dogs sniff my ears? What is the reason behind this odd behavior? When your dogs put their wet nose in your ears, it may seem like a weird behavior to you. However, this is an instinct of your dog.
You already know that dogs sense their surroundings differently than humans. But dogs use their strong sense of smell to understand the surrounding atmosphere. They strongly use their sense of smell. This article will discuss what it means when your dog sniffs your ears repeatedly.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of those links, you won’t pay any extra penny, but I’ll get a small commission that encourages me to deliver more helpful content for you.
Table of Contents
Is It Okay for My Dog to Sniff My Ears?
This depends upon your dog’s behavior. If you notice your dog is obsessively licking or sniffing your ears, then there must be an underlying issue going on. Dogs do sniff in humans’ ears for some reason. But if you see your furry pal constantly trying to gasp in your ear, then it is better to consult the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Reasons Why Does My Dog Sniff My Ears
Have you ever considered what it means when a dog sniffs your ears? Okay, let us tell you that there are many reasons behind this weird behavior of your dog. If you notice your dog has started sniffing your ear suddenly, you must analyze its behavior for a few days. Then you will know whether your dog’s sniffing behavior is expected or not. Here we have found a few common reasons your dog sniffs its wet nose in your ear.
1. Your dog wants to express something
Over time, your dog and you develop some basic skills to interact with each other. We all create gestures to command our dogs to perform something. Similarly, our pets also develop some gestures of signs to express feelings. So they may start licking your ears to say something.
2. Dogs love your ear smell
Yes, you read it right. While it is awkward for us, dogs indeed love stinky smells. Human ear wax has a strong smell that attracts dogs. It may sound weird, but if you notice it, you will see when your furry pal tries to put his nose in your ear, they sniff a lot. Sometimes dogs love the aroma of oil and perfume you usually use regularly.
3. Way of understanding
Your dog knows your body smell, but when you meet somebody new who has applied strong perfume on them, your body generally gets that perfume, too, if you hang around with the person for a long time. When you return home, you convey a new and unique smell to your dog.
When your dog finds some new smell around you, they also try to identify the contemporary sense. This may be one of the reasons why your dog sniffs your ears.
4. Due to illness
A dog cannot speak or express their problem to us. They try to represent their irritation by showing weird behavior. Smelling your ear is among those odd behaviors.
Sometimes they start barking out of the blue, and sometimes they start smelling you too. A dog usually likes to smell the human body smell, but if it has recently developed its ear-smelling behavior, then it means something is wrong, and they are worried about that.
5. Out of anxiety or boredom
It has been noticed that bored dogs develop weird behaviors in them. When a dog does not get appropriate exercise or mental stimulation, it naturally becomes weird and reacts unwantedly. Now, this happens with humans also.
If you see your dog is calmer than its natural state, it may be growing anxiety and boredom. After a long time, if you try to come closer to him, he may start behaving excitedly and start sniffing in your ears out of curiosity. Sometimes out of anxiety, they bark at nothing, which is also another weird behavior.
6. Dogs can sense infections
Exactly! Dogs can sense an infection in the human body. Because of its usual sense, it can identify diseases. The human body releases different hormones when they fall sick. And dogs can locate that easily compared to humans. Many studies have shown dog owners with ear infections have noticed this weird behavior in dogs. Whenever I have cold or headache issues, I have seen my dog become more attached to me.
7. Playful behavior
Dogs are like small kids. They love playing around you. When they feel happy, they get excited. You will notice this positive behavior when you return from the office or give them food or toys to play with. They may start jumping on you and try to sniff its wet nose in your ears. I am sharing this from my personal experience. I have seen this behavior particularly when I am sitting on a chair, my dog climbs on my shoulder.
This is a typical gesture that every dog is born with. This happens to me constantly. My little dog smells my ears and jumps on my shoulders whenever I come home. I know at that time, all he wanted was to play with me.
8. Dogs love affection
Being a dog parent, I know how much our dog means to me. I love Jack very much, and whenever I come back from tour, he jumps on me and starts licking. I love these gestures all the time. Whenever I make him happy by giving back a pat or compliments, he licks my face and ear too.
If your dog licks your ear, it may be due to the affection he is licking. I have noticed this when I remain away from him for a long time. Apart from that, Jack does not show these gestures toward me.
Related Post: Why Do Dogs Bite Each Other’s Ears When Playing?
How Do I Stop My Dog from Sniffing My Ears
Most dog owners face the problem and come to us asking how to deal with the situation or stop their dogs from sniffing their ears! Now, if you did not notice that your dog silently developed this behavior, there are many ways to help you eliminate this problem.
But if your dog has just developed this weird behavior of sniffing ears, giving commands will work. We are sharing possible ways to help you deal with your dog’s bizarre behavior.
1. Stay neutral
This is the simplest way to avoid your dog’s sniffing-ear behavior. When you see your pal constantly trying to lick you and putting its wet nose around your ear, then try to remain neutral. Do not entertain this behavior of him.
Remember that encouraging their inappropriate behavior will help them develop a strong sense that you like it. Staying neutral will show them that you are not entertaining his behavior.
Gradually he will understand this is an inappropriate behavior that should not be performed. However, this procedure may take a long time to make your dogs know why they should not sniff your ear repeatedly.
2. Use the “No” command
After many days of applying the ‘being neutral’ method, if you find this method time-consuming and not working for your dog, try using the ‘No’ command. When you see your dog trying to lick your ear or smell your ear, say ‘NO.’ This usually works. We have used this method to stop Jack from sniffing our ears.
3. Distract him with fetch toys
This is a great idea to avoid dogs sniffing behavior. When your dog is trying to get closer to your ear to take a smell, give a fetch toy to them. A fetch toy is an excellent thing in this case. Fetching toys can stimulate your dog’s energy level and bring them joy and excitement.
To avoid your dog’s wet nose, teach them to play fetch toy games. It has been seen that dogs who remain spontaneous do not develop any weird behavior suddenly. So playing fetch toys games will help you to deal with your dog’s ear sniffing behavior.
4. Get a consultation from a trainer
After trying many tips and tricks, it may be time to get a professional consultation if nothing can make your dog stop sniffing your ears. You may consult an animal behaviorist or veterinarian regarding this issue. Your veterinarian will guide you with appropriate tips and suggestions to help you deal with your dog’s ear-sniffing issue.
Final Words
Dogs have a unique sense of smell. They feel and understand things by smelling. If your dog sniffs your ear, it is okay. Even this is a sign of a happy dog. But if this becomes a consistent behavior, then this is a sign of a weird or abnormal issue.
To understand whether your dog’s sniffing characteristics are normal or abnormal, you must notice him carefully. If your dog is not in its normal state, consulting an animal behaviorist is the best way to find the exact solution.
In this article, we have tried to explain the reason behind your dogs’ sniffing behavior. Before applying any method to get rid of anything, you must consult a veterinarian too.
Read Next:
- Why Is My Dogs Fur Turning a Rust Colour On Their Back
- Do Dogs’ Ears Pop on Planes? 6 General Information & Tips
- Why Is My Dog Sneezing a Lot and Shaking His Head?
FAQ: My Dog Sniff My Ears
1. Why do dogs sniff private human areas?
A: This is one of the embarrassing moments when a guest visits your house, and your furry pal tries to bury its head in their crotches. This may look weird and awkward, but this is very normal to dogs. Burying their head between our legs shows their affection.
2. Can dogs smell ear infections?
A: Yes. Many studies show that dogs can identify infections faster than humans. When you have an ear infection, your ear may smell different, which may look peculiar to you, but your dog can smell the newly formed smell caused by bacteria or fungus.
3. How do dogs act when they smell illness?
A: Some studies show that dogs can be trained specially to identify human illnesses. As they have a strong sense of smell, they can quickly diagnose the condition. Female dog parents have noticed that their dogs behave weirdly when they are on their period, indicating their owner is not well.
4. Should I let my dog lick my ears?
A: Now it depends on whether you allow your dog to lick your ears. It is okay if your dog licks you once in a while, but if it continues to do so, then there is a problem. Even dogs put their heads everywhere, and their wet nose and mouth contain bacteria that may harm you. So it is suggested to avoid this behavior of your dog.
5. Why does my dog sleep between my legs?
A: Dogs love affection. They are friendly to humans. They love their masters a lot, so whenever they bury their heads between your legs, they take shelter or ask for your love and care.
