Photo: Silgeo/Flickr
In one experiment, pet owners were told that their dogs had stolen treats. Most pet owners saw a guilty expression on their wrongfully accused animals' faces, proving that they merely projected human emotions onto their relatively clueless canines.
Makes you wonder...could we be imagining the super-pathetic please-please-play-with-me look too? The I-love-you-let's-snuggle stare? The OMG-don't-leave sulk?
Nah. Those are definitely real.
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I could agree in a way. But when you come home and the dog has it's tail tucked, ears and head lowered when it sees you walking through the door, only doing so when it had actually done something it was punished for previously, I'd have to say that they can show guilt.
Punishing a pet does nothing as far a learning goes; just makes him fear you, as you are likely seeing. Proper behavior by YOU would help!
Do you have any recommendations as to alternatives to showing them what they did and giving the verbal no command? Only advice I got from a vet tech was that you are supposed to let them know what they did wrong just as it happens otherwise they won't know why you are punishing them.
Ditto. If our houses were all only one room this study would make a bit more sense. My dog can't help but run to the door to greet me when she hears the door open, but when she's had an accident she feels bad and shows it when I first see her. I don't punish her, as it's always a result of either illness or just too many hours without a break, but the tail tuck, hand shy approach she takes tips me off even before my nose (yuck). She is a rescue so my guess is that she still expects much more severe treatment for having an accident. All I do is make her lay down and stay while I clean....
John
Blackwing for Pets - Organic Bones and Chews
www.blackwingforpets.com
When you have two dogs and one is a blond, and you react upset to something that has happened, they look at each other, as if to say "He did it" or "I haven't a clue as to who came in and did this". So I don't get upset, they don't behave badly, other than Lotus sleeping on the sofa (got a dog cover for that) and we are all delighted to see each other at lunch time or the end of the day.
I would need to know more about the methods to say for sure, but probably the test resulted in owners scolding their dogs or at least looking annoyed, which can result in nervous behavior by the dog. This does not mean that dogs can't be guilty or nervous before seeing the reaction. It doesn't seem that was tested for. You could probably do a similar test with kids instead of dogs and get similar results, "proving" kids don't feel guilt.
I've seen a cat look guilty before I yelled at her for something.
In fact, she first signaled to me that something was wrong by her "sorry" look. Maybe she expected one of us to yell at her.
Guilt confused with fear? Are humans much different?
One day I opened the door to my house and immediately Happy (a rescued Labradoodle) got on the floor and showed me his belly. I immediately said to him 'what are you sorry for?' Then I got a whiff. My doggie had a bout of diarrhea while I was gone. So, by that alone, you can't tell me a dog doesn't know when he's done something he shouldn't.
BTW, it turned out that Happy was pretty sick at that time. Took almost a week for him to get better.
Someone please get the "scientists" to answer this one. How does a dog project it's owners emotions or feel fear when the owner is not at home?
My 3 year old poodle had a habit of tipping the garbage pail and shredding it into a gazillion pieces.
Upon returning home, before I even saw the garbage shredding....I could not find my dog. After several minutes of searching to no avail, I was afraid something had happened to her.Then I saw the garbage !!! No "accusatory voices, no scolding tones.......just quiet searching...to spank her.
She had hidden herself behind the couch before I ever opened the door, because she "knew" I would be mad.....
Where did she absorb my emotions on this one HUH? She had hidden before I ever opened the door. got the answer "scientists"?
My dogs Smile at me when there happy to see me or when there proud... and when there sad that whine,, and all so how can they not show emotions
Guilt is a learned behavior. Dogs definetly learn how to react once the behavior is taught. They know they should not pee in the house and they show embarassment and shame. Scientists have been wrong so many times, I am surprised people still give their comments a second thought. They just like to get $$$ for their ridiculous theories, then spout out some preposterous claim that they have no way of proving.
I believe we humans tend to forget that our pets are animals
not logical thinking humans (of which, we are very few). I also
like to think my dog understands every word I say but I do un-
derstand they do not but certainly do understand emotions. After losing my best friend of 6 years to complications of Lyme Disease,
we adopted a 14 week old American Foxhound from a wonderful
shelter in Salem MA and he is definitely a challenge. Talk about
a free spirit!! Has been very easy to housebreak, leash walking is
at best good but he loves to steal things. Does not destroy but
just likes to take things. It is amusing but aggravating. Other than
that he is a pretty good dog. He has become an escape artist also,
so I do refer to him in conversation as Harry, which is not his name.
Harry for Harry Houdini. Other than these few issues he is a very
nice dog and we are enjoying him.
My dog Timber understands all and I understand him.
We communicate well, tells me when he wants to go out,
wants a cookie or treat, doesn't leave my side when I'm
not feeling well,come to me for grooming when HE thnks
he needs grooming,Awaits the kids when they come home,
even after being overseas for 2 years,knows when he's been bad,
and knows when he does well. Buy him a toy and he knows it's
his new toy. Can't find it,tell him to find it, "get your toy" and he
finds it. My best friend..Simple as that.