Does Your Dog Know It Did Wrong?

[Aidan3]

I agree that he is not 'guilty' as such but he quite often acts this was to things that he never has and never will get in trouble for

He likes you to be happy

[poochmad]

It's the tone of voice. If the owner came back in and asked 'what did you do?' in a happy voice, the dog would react by wagging it's tail.

It would have been useful if the video showed that, rather than making people think that dogs know when they've done something wrong.

[Aidan3]

It would have been useful if the video showed that, rather than making people think that dogs know when they've done something wrong.

Just curious, did you see the bit where the camera-person stole the treat? Why do you think anyone might come to the conclusion that the dog had thought he had done something wrong?

Edited April 14, 2011 by Aidan2

[AussieDog]

My OH reckons he can always tell which dog destroyed something by picking up the object and looking at both of them. He reckons the dog that's guilty puts its ears down and tries to hide whereas the other one just stands there. I told him it doesn't work like that because they probably both did it, but he's adamant.

My two do a similar thing.

If we come home and the cat bowl is empty (even though it's raised on a dresser drawer) we literally only have to lift the bowl and the offending dog slinks away. We ask "who did it" or "do you want to talk about it" and the offender takes themselves outside, tail between the legs.

They punish themselves more than i ever could yelling at them.

[Erny]

My two do a similar thing.

If we come home and the cat bowl is empty (even though it's raised on a dresser drawer) we literally only have to lift the bowl and the offending dog slinks away. We ask "who did it" or "do you want to talk about it" and the offender takes themselves outside, tail between the legs.

They punish themselves more than i ever could yelling at them.

But how do you KNOW that the one who looks guilty is the "offender"?