A recent thread on another forum I subscribe to the 'Society for Barefoot Living' discussed the response of animals, domestic and wild, to people being barefoot or nude. There were several examples of dogs, especially, being unhappy and hostile to people who wore shoes and friendly to barefooters.
One correspondent then asked a question for the naturists on the SBL forum: “ Have you ever tried running nude WITHOUT benefit of any odour neutralizing substances? I mean NO deodorants, no soaps from bathing, stuff like that? ”
My experience with animals whilst nude is minimal, although I do remember a red setter who came up to me whilst I was lying nude on a beach in Cornwall and started licking my genitals, so I thought I would ask the question on the Naktiv site.
Do animals prefer people without clothes or footwear?
I tend to get the same reaction from the kangaroos in our backyard.
I've noticed that deer in the yard tend to just look at me then go about their business when I'm nude, instead of bolting away as usual.
I often made the same experience (deers, boars, swans,…), and asked myself the same question. You are right, to mention the olfactory sense I didn't thought about before, but which is very important for animals. The fact that our genitals are exposed certainly plays an important role. Most animals are not (no longer) used to smell natural humans, and their first question is to ask: friend or foe ?. It is our behavior at this time, which will decide on their response. Say "hello", and go your way, they will do the same !