A-Z DOGS & BLOGS

Fact or Myth: The Guilty Dog

behavior modification dog training dog body language Mar 07, 2022

Fact or Myth: My dog knows what s/he did wrong.

MYTH

Dogs do not process guilt as we humans do. No matter how many times you say "bad dog" and point to the trash. I know this opposite of guilt shamming videos that have taken over. Dogs are dogs and every single minute of knocking the trash over they are on a euphoria of digging, shredding, foraging, and getting a tasty treat while they are being "trash can pandas."

The guilty whale eye is a stress signal most commonly associated with your hormones and pheromones because this is the third night you've had to pick up havoc from your pup, and you are slightly agitated with your pup's choice in new hobbies.
.
Why does your dog look at you with sad eyes, looking guilty af?

When dogs do something human claims as "bad" (i.e., shredding, digging, or tearing.) The dog is getting instant gratification from that torn-up book, tissue, or trash can. Scolding them afterward doesn't make them less likely to do it. It makes them more scared of you every time you lose your temper. In short, your dog is looking at you guilty as fuck because they are fearful of you.

Those whale eyes crouched down and tail tucked are all stress signals. They are trying to tell you they are scared.

But….. I've never hit my dog???? Neither have we, but It doesn't matter; dogs know you're happy, sad, or angry before you even know. Dogs can sense when human hormones and pheromones change, even more so when your dog is with you constantly. They feed off of you, and the slightest hormones change. This is why you might not even see the whole mess before your dog is already hiding or avoiding eye contact with you.

The best thing to do is clean up the mess, use management techniques and schedule a consult with us to work on your dog's obedience and mental boredom.

Dogs can not self-reflect nor feel guilt, but they can feel jealously, which is a topic we will cover soon. If you have any questions about canine body language then set up a phone consult to discuss wellness or training plans for you!

Ruth created to look at the whole dog for a successful and custom training program. Ruth has been in the dog professional career for eight-plus years and has experience with small and large breeds, behavioral, reactivity, and aggression cases. Ruth loves dogs and is a dog mom to three good doggos. Oakley is a 6yr old Akita and Cattle Dog Mix that she adopted. Zena is a Husky/ Pitt mix that Ruth took in as an unruly puppy. Last but not least is Bean, the five-pound chihuahua that they rescued as well. We love empowering owners and their dogs to enjoy a stress-free life together.