6 Canine Lovers Reveal True Meaning Behind Dog's Guilty Face When Caught In Act

They're not really guilty.

May

• Published in Interesting
• March 17, 2024

Most dog owners will tell you that their dogs wear a certain expression after getting reprimanded over something bad they've done. But believe it or not, it's not guilt that's making them do this (although it may seem that way).

Alexandra Horowitz, a respected canine expert, and psychologist at Columbia University's Dog Cognition Lab, discovered in a 2009 study that a dog's behavior following an undesirable action in the presence of its owner is actually a learned response of submission to the owner's emotions or expression of displeasure. Despite our initial interpretation of their behavior as guilt, the study reveals that many dogs exhibit this response regardless of whether they have committed any wrongdoing.

You've seen dogs tuck their tails, give a guilty look, or even scurry away before their owner notices a mishap. Well, dogs are incredibly perceptive creatures who quickly learn to associate specific events with our reactions.

So, if your doggo scampers off before you even spot the spilled water bowl, it's because they've learned that such accidents upset you. In today's post, we'll also take a look at the views of other dog owners regarding this behavior.

They shared their answers to this question:

Can dogs understand when they have done something wrong and need to be forgiven?

The stern expression of the owner lets them know their behavior is unwanted.

They only understand that a behaviour is unwanted, if a stern correction is given by the handler within few seconds of the perceived crime. The dog has no perception of what `forgiveness ` means, so no, they do not need to be forgiven.

Dogs do not know what humans regard as `something wrong` and have to be taught what is, through training with corrections given at the right time.—— Eg: A dog does not know that peeing indoors in a house is unwanted behaviour, until its trained to pee outside.

A dog does not know that jumping up on people is unwanted behaviour , until it is trained not to do it. Get my drift?

They don't feel guilty for past actions.

They know you’re upset, but not that their actions (especially if it’s been a little bit) have hurt you and that’s why you’re angry.

Dogs do not seem to understand a concept called the theory of mind, basically that my mind (and information) is different than yours. Children don’t develop this for a few years, and it seems to be a rarer skill in the animal world, but it’s hard to gage the internal experiences of an animal that cannot use language to describe it.

When experiments are done where a dog is told “What did you DO?!” when there is nothing, they aren’t confused, they go right into appeasement. We believe they’re reacting to the angry person instead of realizing why we are angry.

This is why we say your dog can’t feel guilt, at least not for a past actions.

They’re afraid of your anger and the loss of companionship. It’s pretty distressing for them, and they want to repair the broken social bond ASAP and will do so through appeasement.

We also appease when we ask for forgiveness, and I think this is what leads to the confusion of “they know what they did”. When they’re efforts to repair the broken social bonds are ignored or refused, they get sad, but they never seem to really grasp the concept of “this behavior harmed you and I realize now how it harmed you, so I won’t do it again”.

They repeat the same mistake all over again.

Charlie knew. I was ‘explaining’ his lapse of behaviour very quietly. I think he was sorry.

Of course when I’d finished talking he soon forgot and everything went back to normal.

The dog can't really distinguish what's "wrong."

Human seniments..is what that is. A dog doesn't really know that he did something “wrong”..but he does understand that the human is angry with him.

Our rules are human rules, most don't apply in the animal world.

Boo doesn't think going in the trash looking for food while you're at work… something “wrong". Its his nature..but you on the other hand, come home to garbage on the kitchen floor, and get upset with Boo.

He looks sorry, and grubbles..but have you made him to feel as he did something horrible that he needs forgiveness?

No, he wants his care taker to be happy with him, and is sad when you're not.

Training can help some behavior, but please remember, just like us, ..dogs must be free to do as nature intended…without being punished.

They're just like kids.

People do not understand dogs cats have the same emotions that we do they may show it different but if you pay attention you will know I can talk to my animals cats and dogs just like I am talking to a child and I know they understand what I am saying I know these animals don't have souls they are souls understand

Dogs can sense emotions, but can't determine if their behavior is "wrong."

Dogs have a far more acute sense of smell than humans do,.

They can SMELL our emotions. So, IF we are annoyed or sad, our dogs will sense that, and behave appropriately.

(PS my Mum always said that se hated her own smell when she was upset.)

Even though our beloved dogs often wear that guilt-ridden expression, it's not a sign of remorse. This little quirk is likely the reason why they continue with behaviors that sometimes irk us, only to scamper away when they sense our frustration building up.

Does your dog make the same guilty face after you tell them off?

May