Why does my male dog lick female dog urine, especially if she's in heat?

Question

My female isn’t spayed because I want to breed her later on in life and my male isn’t neutered for the same reason. My male licks her urine like it’s water. Why? Pet's info: Dog | Pembroke Welsh Corgi | Female | spayed | 6 months and 24 days old | 25 lbs

Dr. Strydom, DVM · Accepted Answer

To start to understand why your dog licks urine from other dogs, it will be crucial to pay attention to the vomeronasal organ, also known as Jacobson's organ. This organ is located in the vomer bone, between the mouth and the nose of the dog and is responsible for transmitting information to the brain. Jacobson's organ is responsible for analyzing large molecules, such as pheromones and other compounds. This plays a crucial role in hunting, reproduction, the perception of environment or the social relationships of dogs. It is therefore a fundamental organ for dogs to decipher information related to other dogs such as their food, sex (male or female) or estrous cycle (in heat). If you watch your dog lick urine while "savoring" it, pressing their tongue against their palate and raising their snout, it's probably because they are using the vomeronasal organ to receive extra information from a dog in the area. It is totally natural behavior, a result of their instinct.

Why does my male dog lick female dog urine, especially if she's in heat?

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