My one and half year old boxer lab mix just started to sniff his own butt and sniffing the ground where he was sitting. Is there something wrong with him or is this normal behavior.

JC

His anal glands may be leaking. They need to be drained. Your vet or groomer can do this

It could be he is maturing and just discovered them. If having them emptied, stops the behavior, likely he needed it.

One of my dogs had tapeworms in march and she sniffed & licked her butt. She would scoot her but on the ground. However I do not recall her sniffing where she sat.

What your dog is doing makes me suspect his anal glands may need to be expressed. Certain boxers, along with other breeds, have a tendency for their anal glands to get filled with liquid that comes from defecation. The anal glands are two pea sized sacs located just inside the anus on either side. Usually, when they pass hard stools, the problem will clear up on its own. Other actions to watch for are excessive licking or chewing on the area near the anus and/or dragging their butts along the ground. Your vet, a vet tech, or groomer can check the glands and express them. It is a quick and inexpensive process. If you have never done this before, better to leave it to the professionals to avoid doing this incorrectly and creating an infection. They can show you exactly where these sacs are located and how to express them yourself if you are up to the job. Pretty smelly and unpleasant. If this doesn't clear up on its own in the next couple of days and/or seems to be getting worse, please have someone check your dog as soon as you are able. If this is left too long without being checked, the glands can become impacted and infected.

Let us know how he is doing.