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How Did Dogs Acquire a "Guilty Look?"
Self | September 18, 2009 | PJ-Comix

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.


TOPICS: Pets/Animals; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: agriculture; animalhusbandry; canines; dogs
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To: aruanan
Those are the domesticated animals that are living in a feral state.

So a French Poodle living in an arctic wilderness could be known as "Fifi of the North?"

21 posted on 09/18/2009 3:15:36 PM PDT by PJ-Comix ("They spent a trillion dollars on a guess?" ---Astute DUmmie observation)
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To: La Lydia
Patsy's play with me look.

Photobucket

Patsy's I'm in charge look.

Photobucket

22 posted on 09/18/2009 3:16:44 PM PDT by mware (F-R-E-E, that spells free. Free Republic.com baby.)
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To: PJ-Comix
To get a little serious about it, it's a fascinating behavior. I assumed it was imitative behavior except on second thought I don't know what opportunity that puppy had to observe it and would speculate that he hadn't one, that expression being fairly rare in human behavior on a day to day basis. So where did it come from?

Personally I suspect that doggies read minds. Not well, but they do. Prove it ain't so! ;-)

23 posted on 09/18/2009 3:16:52 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: SonOfDarkSkies

I’ve stared at my cousin’s goldfish a lot. Not a trace of guilt.


24 posted on 09/18/2009 3:16:52 PM PDT by PJ-Comix ("They spent a trillion dollars on a guess?" ---Astute DUmmie observation)
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To: PJ-Comix
Guilty Dog
25 posted on 09/18/2009 3:16:54 PM PDT by Dallas59
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To: cripplecreek
And then come lick your face in gratitude.

Heheh.

Domesticated animals are too clever by half for their human caretakers.

26 posted on 09/18/2009 3:17:15 PM PDT by SonOfDarkSkies (For good judgment ask...What would Obama do? Then do the opposite!)
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To: PJ-Comix

That would be a frozen fifi of a fificicle.


27 posted on 09/18/2009 3:17:15 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Seniors, the new shovel ready project under socialized medicine.)
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To: PJ-Comix
I’ve stared at my cousin’s goldfish a lot. Not a trace of guilt.

Be careful, he might be one of those sociopathic goldfish that just doesn't have a conscience.;-)

28 posted on 09/18/2009 3:18:42 PM PDT by SonOfDarkSkies (For good judgment ask...What would Obama do? Then do the opposite!)
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To: Yorlik803

I hope I never get so mad that my dog can smell it! She only weighs five pounds. Mine puts up with me cause I love her to death and spoil her rotten.


29 posted on 09/18/2009 3:18:48 PM PDT by La Lydia
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To: PJ-Comix

I have not seen guilty gerbils, but I have seen ones that have been scared for life.... :) paging mr. Gere


30 posted on 09/18/2009 3:18:54 PM PDT by Americanwolf (Palin/Beck 2012!!..... Wilson/Palin 2012!!!...... Palin/Wilson2012!!!)
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To: mware

Absolutely beautiful dog <3


31 posted on 09/18/2009 3:19:11 PM PDT by chris37
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To: mware

What about Patsy’s “don’t mess with me” look?


32 posted on 09/18/2009 3:19:15 PM PDT by PJ-Comix ("They spent a trillion dollars on a guess?" ---Astute DUmmie observation)
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To: antivenom
So how did dogs learn “sneaky”?

From cats.

33 posted on 09/18/2009 3:19:35 PM PDT by giotto
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To: PJ-Comix; SonOfDarkSkies

SODS is right, Peej. Don’t turn yer back on that there goldfish.


34 posted on 09/18/2009 3:20:07 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: PJ-Comix

Social pack behavior is in the genes of dogs. As you are the alpha leader of the pack, your dog will display certain behavior traits to show subservience to you. One of these is what we as humans would interpret as guilt. It is not guilt per se, but your dog knows that it needs to defer to your authority and circumvent your displeasure in order to remain part of the pack.

http://www.italian-greyhound.net/packbehave.htm


35 posted on 09/18/2009 3:22:19 PM PDT by Kirkwood
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To: PJ-Comix

My theory: Dogs are pack animals and they will assume submissive postures to members of the pack that have a higher status. A dog that gives you the “guilty” look has broken a pack rule and views you as higher ranking pack member that is about mete out discipline.


36 posted on 09/18/2009 3:22:42 PM PDT by SC Swamp Fox (Aim small, miss small.)
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To: PJ-Comix

I have no idea. But they are so damn cute when they do it.


37 posted on 09/18/2009 3:23:46 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
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To: Dallas59

LOL! That video really does present a guilty dog. And what other animal looks so guilty? Somewhere along the road, dogs picked up the guilt trip from humans. There are also other dog looks similar to humans.


38 posted on 09/18/2009 3:24:03 PM PDT by PJ-Comix ("They spent a trillion dollars on a guess?" ---Astute DUmmie observation)
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To: Dumpster Baby

Good boy! No need to look like that, you are a good boy!


39 posted on 09/18/2009 3:24:31 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
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To: aruanan

Dogs in many cases are a step above most humans or at least Democrats.


40 posted on 09/18/2009 3:25:20 PM PDT by Frantzie (Do we want ACORN running America's healthcare?)
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