Dogs are masters in reading body language. Take for example you come home and smell poop. Before you ever open your mouth you lift your torso, turn your head. The dog, seeing this change, understands immediately that something is wrong. You now look at the dog. The dog sees the aggression is directed towards it and reacts accordingly. So far, you haven't said a word and all body movements are almost involuntary and imperceptable but your dog just read you like a book. He has no way of knowing why you are acting this way. You go towards the smell and your body language increases. The dog reacts by becoming more unsure - read by humans as guilt - but is only a reaction to you, not the cause of you behaving this way. Yelling at the dog at this point is an exercise in teaching the dog to mistrust you. You blow hot and cold it seems. Just watch a dog that is "adjusted" to sit the correct way on a previously good recall exercise. It takes no time at all for it to start slink half way to you with trepidation. I see so many dogs get this way during the teaching of the drop on recall. Your body says come and your actions say beware.
Does she know?
- Thread starter corbinam
- Start date
Caro
Moderator
Melinda, here's some research from last year showing that dogs do steal food when you aren't looking. http://news.nationalgeographic.com.au/news/2013/02/130218-dogs-animals-science-mind-smart/
Tully always waits until I leave to jump on the bench, even though she has ample opportunity to do it when I'm asleep. Sneaky little thing. Deska on the other hand just waits until I'm occupied with something else then goes for whatever is in nose reach.
So you never know, maybe the research will show they do get what they are being told off for.
Tully always waits until I leave to jump on the bench, even though she has ample opportunity to do it when I'm asleep. Sneaky little thing. Deska on the other hand just waits until I'm occupied with something else then goes for whatever is in nose reach.
So you never know, maybe the research will show they do get what they are being told off for.
take4roll10
Moderator
Yes, I think they can. I don't believed all dogs do, but I think some. I think my dogs does. She rats herself out before I even notice what she did wrong. If I walk into a room and she starts barking at me for no reason , I know something is up.
In my old apartment, she wasn't allowed on the couch, but she certainly snuck up there when I went into another room. I'll go to the bathroom or into the kitchen and as I returned to the livingroom, she'll bark at me and try to prevent me from going into the room. I'll sit on the couch and I'll notice fresh paw prints impressions all over. She also does this with ripped up paper and potty accidents. She just rats herself out!!! So now I know when she is alone in a room and I enter to her barking at me, I look around for something to be messed up and most of the time there is.
I don't know if she would do this if there was a big gap in time from when she did something and I noticed it. Usually it happens within a few minutes.
In my old apartment, she wasn't allowed on the couch, but she certainly snuck up there when I went into another room. I'll go to the bathroom or into the kitchen and as I returned to the livingroom, she'll bark at me and try to prevent me from going into the room. I'll sit on the couch and I'll notice fresh paw prints impressions all over. She also does this with ripped up paper and potty accidents. She just rats herself out!!! So now I know when she is alone in a room and I enter to her barking at me, I look around for something to be messed up and most of the time there is.
I don't know if she would do this if there was a big gap in time from when she did something and I noticed it. Usually it happens within a few minutes.
It's so interesting to read about all your pups who act guilty and ashamed. I just guess Blithe is a sociopath as he has never, ever shown any remorse or guilt about what he's done. My son is certain that dogs must need ruffage because of their enjoyment in chewing cardboard, paper towels, etc. Last week I had a paper towel in my hand and just for fun, tore off small bits and gave them to him one at a time, and he acted just like I was giving him cookies, licking his lips, alert for more. No, I didn't give him much, just an experiment.
I do agree with dogs being able to read your mind. I groom him on the vanity in my master bath off my bedroom. I cannot even think about grooming him (hard to not think about something) or he will not come near the bedroom and will not respond to my call. This can go on all day. He won't even come within reach of me either, afraid I'll scoop him up. He tolerates all aspects of grooming very well, and knows he gets treats.
I do agree with dogs being able to read your mind. I groom him on the vanity in my master bath off my bedroom. I cannot even think about grooming him (hard to not think about something) or he will not come near the bedroom and will not respond to my call. This can go on all day. He won't even come within reach of me either, afraid I'll scoop him up. He tolerates all aspects of grooming very well, and knows he gets treats.
MissyGallant
Forums Enthusiast
They say that shelties have the intelligence of about a 4-5 year old child. Does a 4 year old know what they did? Usually yes. Does it stop them? Usually no. (They are prepping us for when they are teenagers)
My girls show no guilt. They actually seem to challenge us with- yes we did it. What are you going to do about it? Yell a little? Big deal. Clean it up yourself? Yeah, that's what we thought.
My girls show no guilt. They actually seem to challenge us with- yes we did it. What are you going to do about it? Yell a little? Big deal. Clean it up yourself? Yeah, that's what we thought.
corbinam
Moderator
This sounds like Bentley. Of course, I say that Bentley has Asperger's-type tendencies. He shows absolutely no remorse or guilt when doing something bad, or being caught doing something bad. He will also go right back to it the second I'm not actively correcting him. I will watch him chew on a box, correct him ("unh-unh!") he stops, looks at me, then I look away and he'll start chewing again.