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Do Dogs Feel Guilty?


Lollipup
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Theres been a few videos going around lately with "guilty" dogs in them. Do you think dog's actually feel guilty?

I have been taught no, they are reading the body language of the human and have learnt from past experience the circumstances that cause the human to be angry and punish them. Then some dogs may be more sensitive than others or have had a harsher experience in the past.

My parents think they feel guilty. They (especially dad) are big on the "who did THIS?" with the whole posturing and tone of voice. So when I explained my view they burst out laughing and said you can't possibly think that! come on look at them! you've seen them being guilty!

Now mum has sent me this video in an email and the text says this:

"Anyone who thinks a dog does not remember or does not feel guilt has not lived with a dog. Just look at the expressions on the faces of these three dogs when they are asked the same question at the same time.....same tone of voice.

The guilty one cannot help but feel guilty while the others have no look of guilt whatsoever. They are all being asked the same question."

This is the clip:

I have no problem laughing at the cute video but I know she's trying to prove me wrong! So, what do you think?

Edited by Lollipup
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There is also a video that's going around which proves that a dog who hasn't done anything wrong at all is just as likely to do the 'guilty' look when the owner starts with the whole 'who did this' routine. I don't have the video but someone else might.

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There is also a video that's going around which proves that a dog who hasn't done anything wrong at all is just as likely to do the 'guilty' look when the owner starts with the whole 'who did this' routine. I don't have the video but someone else might.

Oh I would love the link to send back as my reply to Mum! :) Hope someone can find it. Do you know what its called at all?

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its the same when people say something they think the dog understands. You see they change their tone, body language, facial expression etc even if they dont realise. Say the same thing in a different position and tone the dog wont react.

My friends are convinced you cant say 'hungry' in their house without their dogs going berzerk. So I said it monotone without going 'hey puppy ... are ... you ... HUNGRY!' like they do. I danced around the dog going 'hungry hungry hungry' in a boring manner and the dog just looked at me. No running to the food box and going spastic like usual. I dont understand people that feel the need to spell words out ... yes ... they even spell it out to me in case the dogs go off.

We manage to convince ourselves, and dogs being an opportunistic animal wont say no to an opportunity for attention/reward or simply follow apattern they see as part of life - the 'oh dear the humans are doing that thing again I have to react this way' routine.

But if it makes peopl feel better ... yes they feel guilty :p

Edited by Nekhbet
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There is also a video that's going around which proves that a dog who hasn't done anything wrong at all is just as likely to do the 'guilty' look when the owner starts with the whole 'who did this' routine. I don't have the video but someone else might.

Oh I would love the link to send back as my reply to Mum! :) Hope someone can find it. Do you know what its called at all?

are you referring to the "denver" yellow lab youtube video? if you search youtube for something like "guilty dog denver" the clip will come up and also the video clip discussing animal behaviour regarding Denver's perceived guilty behaviour should be in the list too. :)

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There is also a video that's going around which proves that a dog who hasn't done anything wrong at all is just as likely to do the 'guilty' look when the owner starts with the whole 'who did this' routine. I don't have the video but someone else might.

Oh I would love the link to send back as my reply to Mum! :) Hope someone can find it. Do you know what its called at all?

are you referring to the "denver" yellow lab youtube video? if you search youtube for something like "guilty dog denver" the clip will come up and also the video clip discussing animal behaviour regarding Denver's perceived guilty behaviour should be in the list too. :)

I've seen that one but I thought the filmer in that was trying to show that his dog is actually guilty?

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Here it is

I think it is showing that even though the second dog didn't take the treat it still acts guilty when our body language accuses them of being guilty. They are reacting to our body language not the deed.

Edited by kiesha09
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There is also a video that's going around which proves that a dog who hasn't done anything wrong at all is just as likely to do the 'guilty' look when the owner starts with the whole 'who did this' routine. I don't have the video but someone else might.

Oh I would love the link to send back as my reply to Mum! :) Hope someone can find it. Do you know what its called at all?

are you referring to the "denver" yellow lab youtube video? if you search youtube for something like "guilty dog denver" the clip will come up and also the video clip discussing animal behaviour regarding Denver's perceived guilty behaviour should be in the list too. :)

I've seen that one but I thought the filmer in that was trying to show that his dog is actually guilty?

there is another video that will come up with the 'Denver' search explaining the perception of the dog's guilt. :)

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Can see why she thinks the white dog looks guilty - particularly when the other 2 have "dobbed".

To know whether or not this is the dog that made the mess you would have to have caught him making the mess (serveillance cameras work well). As you said he might just hate the fuss or become scared (through previous experience) when someone makes a mess.

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Yep every time someone farts I ask who was that? If it was zorro he will look away and will not make eye contact and he will do a little whine, but if it was my BF he will not look that way as he knows it was not him and will look normal.

I think feels guilty

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I will admit that I don't particularly like that video because one of my dogs behaves in a similar manner... she does NOT have to have done anything remotely "naughty". She is very sensitive to our emotions and body language and although she has always been treated wonderfully she thinks that displeasing her humans is a very bad thing.

If she gets a mild telling off for something she has done outside (for example ripping up the bed) she'll squint and grovel and go hide somewhere. And the next day, the second you open the door she will act the same way even though she has done nothing. She's not feeling guilty, she is anticipating our behaviour.

If we so much raise our voice at our other dog, our sensitive girl will still squint and grovel. Even if she feels tension in the room she will often just get up and leave and go lie under the bed.

In saying that she is a super happy and quite confident girl, she just doesn't like any tension whatsoever!

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