I was leaning down to grab my shoes in the hallway after work when my dog suddenly pressed his nose firmly against my crotch, sniffing with an intensity that felt almost embarrassing.
It was one of those everyday greetings—normal for dog owners, but this moment still made me squirm, especially with my neighbor passing by through the open door.
What really made me uncomfortable was how potent the smell seemed to be to him, and I couldn’t quite reconcile that with how I usually think about myself.
