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No, they can look upset.
I absolutely know that my GerShep has done something the moment she goes into what we call the “OhDamn” Position. The ears, shoulders, tail, and general crouch position…
yes
but not because of the look on his face, the body language says it all
So, I read the article… IDK if I’d call that anywhere near conclusive.
"When the owners had been told their dog had misbehaved, they saw this guilty expression, even when the dog had not really done anything wrong. "
Is that really a control?
so you are unconvinced by the study discussed in the BBC article?
as max pointed out… owners could tell if their animal was sad or happy, but not guilty. the animal is reacting to their owner’s body language, expressions, words. This is perfect way to isolate out true guilt.
I’ve walked in my house… not made it past the entry way… an by just looking at Jax I could tell he did something wrong… and he knew it… and sure enough… he did…
That’s still not guilt: Dog learns that certain situation + them + you = punishment. So the dog know that if you come home and see dog crap in the middle of the living room you would be upset and yell at them( my parent’s dog,for example, would look guilty if one of her puppies made a mess, not her). They, however, don’t make the connection between them doing it and you getting upset at some time in the future.
I definitely will say that a dog can look guilty. I didn’t read the article, but I can come home and know that my dog has some something wrong without seeing it yet, just by how he looks.
absolutely.
Can they look guilty? Absolutely?
Are they feeling guilt? Probably not.
what you see is sad, you interpret it as guilt. (because that’s the human expectation)
you know how in all the books / training they always tell you that you have to catch a dog in the act of doing something bad since they don’t understand the later punishment…
well, that’s a big part of it - they don’t know guilt.
If we interpret that as guilt, then they look guilty, regardless of whether they’re sad, hungry, horny, have to take a shit, etc.
hahahhaa
the greater overall point that they don’t experience guilt so they can’t show it.
Yes.
mine does too lol
usually my dog can stare at me or whatever, but if he does something wrong he will keep his ears down and just give me quick glances with his head, and will avoid eye contact lol. he’s too funny to ever be mad
GOSH ARENT YOU SO SMART YOU TRICKSTER.
call it whatever you want but i know when my dog is guilty the second i look at him.