Dog Behaviorists: Your Dog's "Guilty Look" Isn't Real

by
posted on March 4, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
dogs_ah2015_fs.jpg (15)

Ever walk in the door and discover your dog with his head hung low and his sad, droopy eyes looking ever-so remorseful about something he's done? Well, according to some canine behaviorists, the dog isn't actually expressing shame—because he can't. Instead, they say, the dog's guilty look is a reaction to your displeasure.

Several studies appear to support the hypothesis, the first of which was conducted in 2009 by Alexandra Horowitz, psychology professor at Barnard College in New York City. For her study, she videotaped 14 dogs' reactions to a series of trials. In each case, the dog was told by its owner not to eat a treat, then the owner left the room. Sometimes the dogs ate the treat, other times they didn't; and sometimes the owners entered the room knowing whether the dog disobeyed, other times not.

"I found that the ‘look’ appeared most often when owners scolded their dogs, regardless of whether the dog had disobeyed or did something for which they might or should feel guilty," Horowitz told a CBS-Sacramento affiliate. "It wasn’t ‘guilt’ but a reaction to the owner that prompted the look. ...I am not saying that dogs might not feel guilt, just that the ‘guilty look’ is not an indication of it."

Hmm. I don't know. I'm no animal behaviorist, but I have owned a few dogs over the years. Seems to me that when I walk in the door and a dog has that "guilty look," it has to mean something. Like the time my springer grabbed a turkey fan (a Merriam's, mind you!) while I was at work and completely shredded it. How could his guilty eyes have been a reaction to me? I didn't even know why he was moping around until I discovered feathers in the bathtub.

What do you think: Is your dog's guilty look a real expression of shame or merely a reaction to your temper tantrum?

Latest

2025 NRA World Shooting Championship
2025 NRA World Shooting Championship

KelTec Named Official Stage Sponsor for 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is proud to announce KelTec as an official sponsor of the 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship, returning to Camp Atterbury, Ind., from September 30 to October 4, 2025.

Thompson/Center Arms Celebrating 60th Anniversary

Thompson/Center Arms is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025. Since 1965, T/C Arms has built a legacy rooted in the pioneering spirit of American hunters.

Federal Ammunition Awards 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships

Federal Ammunition recently awarded the 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships to two 4-H shooting sports teen ambassadors: Lucy Evans from Georgia and John Bruner from Pennsylvania.

Head to Head: 7x57mm Mauser vs. .30-06 Springfield

I’ve had more than a few requests for this Head to Head, so I figured it was high time to pit two of the early 20th century’s most popular military cartridges against one another. Let's dive into the 7x57mm Mauser vs. the .30-06 Springfield.

NRA Hunter Education FREE Online Course Now Available in Louisiana

The National Rifle Association of America’s award-winning free Hunter Education online course is now available in the State of Louisiana, the latest addition as NRA works to make the course available to hunters in all 50 states.

Moultrie Updates Line of Game Feeders

Moultrie has expanded the capacity of its line of feeders, and bettered the cameras' integration with the company's connected technology to streamline the feeding process.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.