Why Does My Dog Smell Its Urine?

If you own dogs, chances are they do things every day that you just don't understand. In fact, typical dog behavior may be something that disgusts you. Before coming down too hard on your dog for his or her behaviors, be sure that you understand why they are doing what they are doing. Smelling their own urine and the urine of other dogs is a habit that many pet owners dislike, but your dog does it for a good reason.

  1. Checking Well-being

    • Like people, a dog's urine odor may change depending on his well-being. The foods that are consumed and medications that are taken will change the way the dog's urine smells. Because dogs recognize people and animals by scent, how they smell is equally as important to them as how others smell. When they urinate and they stop and smell their urine, they are often just checking to see what is going on, to make sure they smell right.

    Marking Territory

    • After urinating, your dog is also checking to see if he properly marked his territory. When a dogs urinate they are not just emptying their bladders, they are claiming the area as their own. A dog will stop and sniff afterward to be sure that her territory was well marked. After sniffing, you may notice that your dog urinates again, which may mean he or she simply wanted to mark her territory a bit better.

    Leaving a Message for Others

    • Dogs urinate where other dogs have urinated, and then they stop and sniff to get the message that the other dog left and to ensure that they left a proper message for others. In short, urinating and then sniffing is a means of communication. Not only can the dog ensure that they have left the most recent message, they can find out who else has been there.