Why is my dog sniffing me more than usual?

If your dog has started sniffing you more than usual, it can feel oddly intimate, worrying, or simply inconvenient. Many owners notice this change during illness, after changes at home, or when a normally calm dog suddenly becomes insistent. What follows is a practical, observation-led guide to help you understand why the behavior may be happening, how to assess it safely, and what to do next.

What your dog’s sudden increase in sniffing could indicate

In my clinic and consultations I typically see owners who want a quick read on whether increased sniffing is harmless curiosity or a sign that something has changed for their dog or household. Common scenarios include a dog that follows an owner from room to room, repeatedly sniffs hands or clothing, or starts nudging and licking more than usual. Those small changes can matter because they sometimes point to health signals, social cues, or unmet needs.

Owners are often motivated by emotion: concern for a sick pet, frustration when attention-seeking becomes constant, or curiosity when a previously uninterested dog suddenly checks everyone out. That emotional context is useful—stress, worry, and time spent observing give you data points you can use before calling a vet or a trainer.

One practical distinction I encourage people to make is whether the sniffing feels like a health check (seeking a change in smell from illness, sweat, or medication) versus a behavioral shift (anxiety, boredom, or newly reinforced attention-seeking). Noticing whether the behavior follows a specific event—a new roommate, a vet visit, or a change in household routine—can direct your response faster.

Before escalating, note a few details: how often the sniffing happens, what your dog sniffs (hands, clothing, a specific body area), time of day, and any other behavior that accompanies the sniffing such as licking, pawing, whining, or changes in appetite. Those observations will make conversations with your veterinarian or behaviorist much more efficient.

• Record frequency (times per hour), context (after walks, when you return home), duration of each event, and any concurrent signs (vomiting, lethargy, sneezing).
• Note recent household changes: illness, new pets, new medications, pregnancy, or changed cleaning products.
• Keep a photo or short video if the sniffing is unusual—visuals often reveal subtle body language cues.

At a glance — the most likely reasons for more sniffing

Most often a dog sniffing you more than usual is normal exploratory behavior driven by their powerful sense of smell, but it may also be linked to detecting health or hormonal changes in you or the home, reflect anxiety/attention-seeking, or simply be a response to new environmental scents.

How a dog’s nose works: scent, social cues and memory

Dogs process the world primarily through scent. Their olfactory apparatus contains many more receptor cells than ours, and their brains dedicate a large area to interpreting odor information; because of this, smells that are imperceptible to you may be vivid and informative to them. I typically explain to owners that a dog’s nose acts like a continuously running scanner of chemical signals in the environment.

Those chemical signals include pheromones and metabolites that can relay social and health-related information. A change in your body chemistry—illness, stress hormones, or even a new medication—may alter the scent profile your dog has learned, and that alteration may trigger closer inspection. Dogs may also pick up scents from other animals, food, or the outdoors that become associated with you if you carry them home on clothing or skin.

From sniffing, a dog may gain information about your emotional state, whether you have been around other animals, or if your body has been producing different volatile compounds. Sniffing at a distance or a brief scent check is often casual sampling; prolonged, focused, or repetitive sniffing—especially combined with other investigative behavior—suggests the dog is trying to read something specific and important.

Situations and triggers that lead to heightened sniffing

Increased sniffing commonly follows sensory or social changes. Bringing a new person or pet into the home, moving house, or changing daily routines can make a dog more vigilant and lead to more frequent olfactory checks. I frequently see heightened sniffing when dogs first meet a new baby or when an unfamiliar scent lingers after a visitor.

Household biological changes are also a strong trigger. If someone in the home is ill, pregnant, or on new medication, a dog may detect altered body odors or hormone levels and spend more time investigating. Intact females in heat or other animals in season may also trigger scent-driven attention toward certain people who have had recent contact with those animals.

Routine disruptions—longer absences, a new walking route, or a recent visit to the vet or groomer—can increase sniffing. Those changes may make a dog feel uncertain, so they use scent to re-establish familiarity. Similarly, introducing strong-smelling products like new perfumes, essential oils, or household cleaners can prompt a dog to repeatedly check you to identify and track the new odor source.

Warning signs: when extra sniffing may point to a health issue

• Sudden onset with other systemic signs: If increased sniffing appears at the same time as vomiting, fever, pronounced lethargy, or changes in drinking and urination, it may suggest an underlying medical issue and you should contact your veterinarian promptly.
• Obsessive or repetitive sniffing: When sniffing becomes compulsive—continuous, intrusive, and interfering with eating, sleeping, or normal interactions—it may indicate anxiety, a compulsive disorder, or neurological change that merits professional assessment.
• Respiratory or nasal symptoms: Sneezing, persistent nasal discharge, bloody nasal secretions, or difficulty breathing along with increased sniffing might point to nasal disease, foreign bodies, or infection and should be evaluated quickly.
• Weight loss or signs of pain: If the sniffing coincides with decreased appetite, weight loss, visible discomfort, or reluctance to move, assume there may be a medical cause until proven otherwise.

Immediate steps to take if your dog is sniffing you more than usual

Start by observing with intention. Time episodes of sniffing, note the context and any patterns, and keep a simple log for a few days. I often ask owners to record the time of day and what happened just before each episode—this frequently reveals a repeat trigger like returning from the same store or handling a particular item.

Visually inspect the areas your dog is interested in. Look for spilled food, lotions, grease, or foreign substances on hands, clothing, or in skin folds. If your dog focuses on a certain part of your body, check for wounds, skin irritation, or unusual odors. If you find anything potentially hazardous or unknown, remove it safely and see whether the behavior subsides.

If a new scent source seems likely—recent cleaning products, a bouquet of flowers, or a new cologne—temporarily remove or avoid that scent and monitor whether sniffing decreases. These small elimination tests can quickly differentiate environmental triggers from health-related ones.

Contact your veterinarian if you observe the red flags listed above or if the increased sniffing persists beyond a few days with no identifiable cause. A brief phone call with your notes and any video often lets a vet advise whether an in-person exam, diagnostics, or immediate care are needed.

Training and management: gentle strategies to redirect sniffing

When increased sniffing is non-medical but intrusive, management and training can reduce its frequency. Redirecting your dog’s nose to appropriate activities—snuffle mats, scent-detection games, or food-dispensing toys—lets them use the sense the way nature intended and reduces attention-seeking sniffing directed at you.

Teaching and reinforcing calm cues such as a reliable “leave it,” “settle,” or a mat command gives you a way to interrupt unwanted sniffing without punishment. I always recommend reward-based methods: mark and reward the behavior you want (relaxing on a bed, engaging with a toy) rather than punishing sniffing, which may increase anxiety and make the behavior worse.

Consistency helps. Keep daily routines predictable—meals, walks, and playtimes—so your dog has fewer reasons to re-check you. Reduce exposure to known triggers where feasible: ask visitors to avoid strong perfumes, launder bedding with unscented detergent for a trial period, or limit access to rooms where novelty scents are present.

Products and tools that help you manage sniff-driven behavior

Tools that support safe assessment and enrichment can be very effective. Snuffle mats and scent enrichment kits channel sniffing into purposeful activity and slow eating, which is often calming. I regularly recommend these for dogs that seem to be nose-driven at home.

Pheromone diffusers or topical calming aids may be helpful as short-term adjuncts in anxious dogs, but they are unlikely to fix the root cause alone. Treat-dispensing puzzles and nosework toys provide mental stimulation and an alternative outlet for investigative behavior, while harnesses and secure leashes let you control close investigations during walks or in public until you retrain the response.

When to consult a professional — vets, behaviorists and reliable resources

Your primary veterinarian is the first point of contact for medical evaluation—an exam and simple diagnostics can rule out infections, metabolic changes, or exposure to toxins. If the sniffing behavior appears complex or persistent, a certified veterinary behaviorist (DACVB) can assess for compulsive disorders, anxiety syndromes, or neurologic causes and recommend integrated treatment plans.

For training-focused interventions, certified trainers and behavior consultants (IAABC- or CCPDT-certified) can design a step-by-step behavior modification plan and teach you how to implement enrichment and cue training safely. Local shelters and rescue behavior programs often offer practical, hands-on help and can recommend affordable resources or group classes.

Studies, sources and further reading

• Merck Veterinary Manual: “Nasal Disease in Dogs” — Merck Manuals Professional Veterinary Edition, section on clinical signs and diagnostics.
• Overall, K. L. (2013). Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals. Elsevier — chapters on scent-driven behavior and anxiety in dogs.
• Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research — select articles on olfaction, scent-detection behavior, and the link between odor changes and health (see 2015–2022 issues for case reports).
• American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) clinical resources — guidance on when behavioral changes warrant medical examination.
• International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) — standards and directories for certified behavior professionals.