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.
Isn’t it sad they don’t stay like that....but get housebroken?
LOL, look at the eyes.
Oh, you’re right. But my dogs would be stupid to run away from home, they have it made here!
I have 2 dogs and have never hit either one...The human hand should not be associated with punishment....but I can stare them down and point to where I want them to go, and they go....Great companions. I am 70 and my dogs don’t care if I scrub my teeth first thing in the morning or wear PJ’s all day, I recently noticed something with my lab (that I have had for 10 years) that when she is wagging her tail and I talk to her, she wags her tail faster until I stop talking....There has to something in a voice that makes them happy enough to wag..
Ditto! ...
Positive reinforcement really gets better results, a friendlier dog and a happier dog.
We only have three commands when I am not kidding.
Heal!
Sit!
No Barking! (had to teach them how to bark first and then how to stop) Okay you did your job, you alerted us and if it doesn't stop, whoosh! No Barking! good boy or good girl
They run out the door after a squirrel, doing their natural job in life? No problem, Heal! or Sit!, Sit! Sit! - I find it saves the little babies lives and reinforce with good boy or good girl. that way they always respond to my command as nonnegotiable.
The other 40 some odd tricks they do pretty well but they are more for fun and relationship building and strengthening. Also gives them more confidence.
But always, smile and say “good boy or good girl”
Not preaching at you. This is for others. Oh and yes it is harder work to do it my way and takes longer but you and your dog will be better for it.
Post on!
Guilt is part of a self correction that makes social animals better able to interact and cooperate.
My own dog does a guilt/submission by lifting his paw as if it were hurt, as in...
“you wouldn't beat/scold a dog with a hurt paw, would ya?”
That is a known wolf submission sign.
Clearly they want to please us, and clearly they like our country. But, who mentioned hitting? It is counter productive in training a dog.
BTW, do you have goats (I am fond of goats).
LOL sorry for my question about hitting, I now understand you were talking about the people I was training. Man, getting old is tough!
So cute, yum!
Why do they put up with us? They need us because we have opposable thumbs.
I have trained dogs for about 20 years, I do understand what works and what doesn’t. I have noticed that the trendy thing right now is positive only training, and it gets a lot of talk on my dog lists. I personally think there are times there need to be consequences, but I don’t really care how someone else trains, whatever works for them. I am just happy when people have a dog trained well enough for their own purposes. I will say that I have also noticed a trend toward dogs who are *obedience trained* but they are little monsters at home, doing things like counter surfing, etc. But, if their owners can live with it, it’s ok with me. :)
A dog is, by definition, a domesticated animal.
Sure, and by definition they are also guilty.
I was taught years ago, that a lifted paw is a sign of stress (something to watch out for when training—perhaps the dog is getting concerned because they don’t understand what you want for instance). But, probably different experts have different opinions on that stuff. I know if I read 10 books on dogs I will find they all differ in some things. Fascinating creatures, however.
Guess what? Owners are dumb, not the dogs. My oldest Grace Kelly is every bit as smart as the Collies we had as a child. She will do anything and loves to learn. Retrieves well except for that waling around the house twice thing but hey, it's my hang up not hers.
My other baby, Rex Harrison, a little lazy, not so quick on the draw, can do most the tricks and is 75% on command. Sometimes you get what you get.
But what a big baby! Cries if anyone leaves the house, the car or when he feels the ride should be over so we can go for that walk, he knows is coming.
Barks like crazy when anyone comes in and getter more controlled about taking the No Barking! thing.
Jumps up on me when I walk in.( I allow it) Jumps on my bed, jumps on the couch and rearranges everything until he is comfortable.(I don't care so long as nothing gets teeth on it)
Our favorite thing is to say in a high pitched voice “I want my mommy!” and he matches the tone. Sometimes all you have to do say it and he starts! But, hey, we taught him that and he only does it so long as we do it.
Weirdest thing about him: He nibbles at your hair as if to get mites or something. funny as hell.
Like I said, great dogs. One I trust off leash. The other? probably never.
Post on!
Mine too! Big babies!
smart dog, tooo funny!!! i really believe even Maxx thought some of them stunk sometimes...
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