Posted on 09/18/2009 3:06:19 PM PDT by 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.
I’ve never seen proof that they feel guilt. When they believe you might be angry at them (they are masters at reading body language) they will try to show you they are not a threat, they will act like a puppy, try to look smaller, etc so you will not harm them. They do the same thing to a dog of higher status if they think that dog is going to hurt them.
People have a tendency to anthropomorphize way too much.
Too bad they are messing too much with some breeds. Some breeds have serious medical problems because of it. The poor old British bulldog has problems with breathing because of it.
Because we take care of their every need.
****** Good theory and in case of poo on the floor, that dog is right. But he knows he did something wrong, I could still go with guilt...
What a BABY. I could just squeeze her. I see she was tagged with a blue ribbon. Is she yours???
Patsy is a good dog!
I’ve done a search and I can’t find it, but in the past couple of days there was a posting about research showing that dogs are more attuned to action like humans than chimps because they have socialized with us longer.
AAaaargh!!!
I will take you to the woodshed for that!
Right after I wash out my eyes!
Ooooh!!!
LOL many years ago had a dog named Mugsy...he would fart, stand up and give you a dirty look and walk out of the room...he never took the blame..
Woof , Woof, Woof!
Mommie, Mommie, Mommie!
Hey! That’s my dog!
Well, 12 years ago. Now she is all grow’d up!
Actually, I don’t think they are associating the act much after the fact. I once had a golden who was housebroken. I came into the hallway and there was a puddle on the floor. She was acting submissive and *guilty*. I told her she was a bad girl and cleaned it up. Shortly after that I found out one of my sons had spilled water on the floor. Why did the dog act like that? Perhaps because she knew if there was liquid on the floor she was going to get into some trouble.
And sadly, when I helped people train their dogs I saw a lot of bad things done to dogs in the name of “He knows he did wrong!”
I’m sorry, but if you leave the house and your dog has an accident and an hour later you come home and beat the snot out of him because you know “He knew he did wrong!” and he ever does it again there are two options. Either you’re totally wrong and your dog does NOT associate the punishment with the crime, OR your dog is an idiot. (I’m not talking to you Goat Granny, I’m just venting!)
Because they take care of ours. Nothing like a dog jumping on me to fix my attitude.
Actually, no, she was from a litter a friend of mine had. I went over and did a shoot of the puppies for her. What fun it was!
Leftist are incapable of shame so the never feel guilt. It is never their fault in their mind.
OMG!
This is such a great thread. I feel better and I was not a good space.
Thanks everyone.
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