Dog sniffing canines can glean a lot of information by smelling the crotch of another dog so it’s understandable why they try to smell ours. Whatever information they expect to get by doing so isn’t as important as how embarrassing it is. Here’s how to stop crotch sniffing dogs in their tracks.

1. Emphasize the appropriate way to greet a human. Humans do not greet each other the way that sniffing dogs do, so you’ll need to teach them the correct way to introduce themselves. Train the dogs to sit first, and then remain seated while they're getting petted or receiving friendly paw shakes.

2. Brush away dog sniffing interest. Wave your hand in front of your crotch as if you were waving something away but try to gently bump a persistent dog’s nose in the processes. You have to be careful about bumping a dog’s nose because it’s sensitive. The slightest damage can weaken a dog’s strong sense of smell. When the dog finally gets the hint by associating nose bumps with inappropriate sniffing, you can stop waving.