Doctor explains why dogs tend to go for the groin
Sunderland, UK - Why do dogs sniff our groins? In a TikTok video, a doctor explains why our four-legged friends are so drawn to our crotches.
Are dogs perverts? No, don't worry! If an animal sticks its nose between a human's legs, it has nothing to do with sexual interest or bad body odor. It's just because they happen to be curious.
At least, that's what Dr. Karan Raj, a Clinical Lecturer for Imperial College London & University of Sunderland, said in a recent TikTok video.
In the clip, the medical expert explains why dogs want to sniff our groins: "Dogs have an organ used to detect pheromones called the Vomeronasal organ."
Humans have a lot of sweat glands, especially under our armpits and between our legs, that emit these pheromones.
When a dog sniffs these areas, it can learn a lot about a person because the pheromones contain information about the human's age, sex, and current mood. They even reveal if the person has just had sex or is currently menstruating.
According to Dr. Karan Raj, dogs are just trying to get to know you better when they sniff you down there.
Humans also have an organ for sniffing out pheromones
Dr. Karan Raj also said that our that the ancestors may have done the same thing a long time ago. We still have the "vomeronasal organ" in our noses, but ours has shrunk over time and become basically ineffective.
In just two days, the TikTok clip got more than a million views and 105,000 likes.
Dr Karan Raj currently has 2.9 million followers on TikTok, and he regularly posts new videos about scientific or medical topics.
In older videos, he talked about the permanence of facemasks and why you shouldn't let your dog lick your face.
Cover photo: tiktok.com/@dr.karanr