How Did Dogs Acquire a "Guilty Look?"

Self | September 18, 2009 | PJ-Comix

[PJ-Comix]

A little while ago I made my wife laugh by doing an impression of a dog acting guilty. After the laughter subsided I started thinking: How does a dog even know how to act guilty? Guilt is not an emotion in any part of the rest animal kingdom except perhaps to a much lesser extent in cats and maybe chimpanzees although I am not sure about the latter due to little contact with chimps. Cats have such a superiority complex that they really don't show much guilt about anything.

But dogs go completely overboard in the guilt department. You come home and if your dog did something it shouldn't have done, such as leave a "deposit" on the floor, you can often tell right away. The head is down, you might hear some whimpering, and the eyes give away a great deal of guilt. Not only can dogs act guilty, it is much more exaggerated than in humans since people often tried to hide their guilt.

We take this feeling of guilt for granted in dogs because we are so used to it. However, guilt is a very complicated emotion. How did dogs pick up feelings of guilt? It's really amazing when you think about it.

[andy58-in-nh]

I own a beagle and must admit that such a look dissolves my anger in an instant, no matter what he did.

[Vendome]

Maybe that is what it was. Oh well she has me trained as well. Took away one thing and offered another. No problems with me or the dogs.

Except for tilting of our heads and the confused look on our faces, until we got use to it.

LOL

[WVKayaker]

Spot loves to run. I have followed him with my car, for as many as 12 miles on a dirt road. I then get out and hike for 5-8 miles, him running the whole time, and then he refuses to get back in, until we get to the paved road. I'm sure he's done back-to-back marathons, and still ready to go.

He knows when I am planning to leave. I have no regular schedule, and may leave before 6am, or after 2. Regardless, he sits by the door long before I'm even preparing. He'll lay down in front of it, if I don't move quick enough. But, as soon as I tell him "you're not going", he'll head over and hop in his chair.

Yep, he has his own wing chair. I got tired of him hogging the Barcalounger! Damn dog...

[WVKayaker]

We had a beagle in NC, "Sam Brown". Sammmy would lay in the tall grass alongside our 1000 ft driveway, waiting for my girls to get off the bus, He heard it coming long b4 it arrived.

He's lay perfectly still until they got close, then spring out yipping and ran to greet them. They all loved "the game". But, he was hit by a car one day.

It was crushing when he didn't know better than to stay out of the road....

[Vendome]

Spot is a good friend and beautiful!

[goat granny]

I use to raise Angora goats...beautiful creatures and with only the large breeding males did my hubby have to help me take down to trim hoofs...If not cross bred with another type of goat they are always pure white with curls and waves..Sheared them twice a year (a professional shearer). They shear mohair...The year my husband passed away we were up to almost 80 in the flock....started with 18..

if you google angora goats you will see how beautiful they are....not at all like other goats, originated in Turkey.

Texas has the largest population of angora's...virtually millions...

That most expensive fiber Cashmere also comes from goats...

[DesertConservative]

Sweet puppy!

Whatever I haz, u can haz it!

[allmendream]

Assuming a submissive posture is a sign of stress or not understanding what the alpha wants. When under stress the dog looks to the alpha to correct the situation. I think that is why (good) dog trainers emphasize that you let your dog know who is calling the shots; they are much happier that way because they live in a world that they are not really capable of understanding and thus need to look to you as to where to go and what to do and who needs getting bit (hopefully nobody).

[andy58-in-nh]

That’s very sad. One thing I learned early on about the breed is that they will run instinctively and chase after anything - which is why ours is always leashed to a tie-out.

[fanfan]

You speak of dog(s) and an absence of emotion?

That’s an oxymoron.

[Himyar]

Horses can absolutely look quilty. I always know when I walk in the barn which one has “disassembled” something in their stall. Instead of being at the door nickering, they hold their head down and “hide”. I don’t beat them or anything, just fuss at them.

[WVKayaker]

He’s my best friend, and a bed hog!

[Randy Larsen]

That ain’t no guilty look!

That is the classic “feel sorry for me” look!

[AnAmericanMother]

True. Mostly she's "You talkin' to me?"

Ruby, on the other hand, never appears 'guilty' even when she DOES do something wrong.

"Yeah! I'm having tons of fun! Want to join me?"

[calex59]

Not necessarily so, wild dogs of Africa(they are called dogs)and the dingo’s, wild dogs of Australia. These are the only two I know of, but perhaps there are others around the world.

[Melian]

When my little dog has been naughty, he sits by the front door with a guilty look on his face, as though he wants to escape outside before I find the evidence.

[nascarnation]

I love that pic.

We just adopted a golden from the other end of the age spectrum, 16 years old. His family lost their house and had to move to an apt where’s there’s no dogs allowed. (Obama’s fault!)

[brytlea]

I am definitely an alpha b****. ;)

[SunkenCiv]

Awwwwwwwwwww....

[brytlea]

Bless you, it’s awesome when someone will take in the old ones. I have loved my old dogs the best.