Do Dogs Feel Guilt?
Many of us are familiar with the “guilty” glance our dogs give us, the look that makes it seem like they just cheated on their taxes. Their eyes up, their eyebrows raised, their tail tucked squarely between their legs – it’s a common vibe whenever your dog is caught chewing on your shoe or stealing a chicken leg from a plate on the counter. But is regret really what your pooch is communicating? Or is it something else?
A study from 2009 aimed to find the answer and it’s one that proves we might have been personifying our pets all along. Researchers discovered that the guilty look dogs are known for came about in reaction to getting scolded and not in reaction to feelings of remorse.
Fear Masquerading as Guilt
The above suggests that the guilty Golden Retriever or Greyhound is afraid. If they’ve learned that their bad actions result in punishment (i.e., they’re put outside for chewing up the sofa) then they’ll anticipate that punishment apprehensively.
They might flatten their ears or hide from you. They might crouch down close to the floor. They might lick their paws (or you, incessantly) like they have some sort of nervous tick.
These are all signs of stress and certainly not exclusive to guilt. Guilt – it turns out – might be too complex of a concept for our canines to grasp. While we do know they certainly express emotions, guilt involves the dog understanding the association between cause and effect. Whether or not they truly comprehend this is something we’ll probably never know.
Fear and stress exist without the necessary cause and effect connection, which is why they’re easier to understand. And they’re easier to point out in your pooch, too.
In other words, your dog knows when it has upset you and it’s bothered by that. Dogs, above all, want to please their human companions. And they realize when they don’t – they study your nonverbal clues and body language and they perceive things based on the tone of your voice. This is why your dog slumps down when they hear someone holler or why it approaches you with affection when you’re mad – this is doggie damage control; they’re trying to make up to you and fast.
Do Punishments Work?
With your dog most likely not able to feel guilt, do punishments even work? Well, your dog does feel fear (as mentioned above) which can be a motivating factor for many pets. Still, punishing your pooch is – according to most experts – the least effective method of getting it to do what you want.
On one hand, punishment can confuse a dog, even if they’re well adjusted. On the other, punishment can make behaviors worse (or bring up new naughty ones) in dogs that are riddled with anxiety or those that have experienced trauma in their past. Oftentimes, punishing a rescue dog results in the dog adopting other troubling behaviors.
Positive reinforcement, such as rewarding good behavior with milk bones and kibble, is usually more effective. That’s not to say it works for every Winston and Winnie, but many canines react to treats because dogs are so food-focused.
Of course, as mentioned earlier, your dog always wants to please you. In fact, meaty chunks of steak are a distant second – it’s your love that your dog covets the most. Thus, combining the two – your praise with a side of prime rib – serves as a dynamic duo.
JJ Keeler lives in Colorado with a house full of pets. She owns three dogs, two cats, and a hamster she bought as a bribe to get her daughter to ride the school bus. She has a BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado and has worked as a professional writer for fifteen years. Her clothes are perpetually covered in pet hair.
