Guilty dogs: what’s not to love? Anyone who’s spent time on social media will undoubtedly have seen video clips of dogs grimacing, gently baring their teeth and looking sheepish as their owner confronts them about an indiscretion, whether it’s tearing up a cushion or eating something they weren’t supposed to.
Like many dog-lovers, I find such videos adorable and a reminder of how much we have in common with our canine companions. And I’m not alone.
According to What Your Dog is Thinking: The Science Behind Your Dog’s Behaviour and How to Improve It – a new book by a neuroscientist and a top dog trainer -more than nine out of 10 people believe their dogs show guilt and have a clear understanding of right and wrong. But the research suggests otherwise. While dogs might feel “a rudimentary type of regret or sadness”, they simply don’t have the capacity to feel guilty about doing something wrong.
“If you take guilt, it’s a really complex emotion,” says co-author Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton tells me during a Zoom call. “For humans, activity relating to guilt takes place in the forebrain area, which takes up about a third of our brain. For dogs, it’s just 10 per cent. A lot more of their brain power is dedicated to their incredible sense of smell, which is their primary sense.
The neuroscientist adds: “We’ve looked at several studies and found that when dogs appear ‘guilty’ to us, they’re simply reacting to their human’s response.”
On social media, we see dogs being reprimanded in a stern tone of voice by wide-eyed owners. “If you’re shouting at them for something that was done more than a second-and-a-half ago, they have literally no concept of why you’re shouting,” she continues. “So, what people are seeing when they come home and the bin bag is torn and their dog’s ears are down and their tails are between their legs is their dog going, ‘Oh no – my favorite person in the world is upset. And I don’t know why.’”
mechanisms (Photo: Supplied)
When scolded, dogs display “guilty behaviours similar to submissive behaviours, such as avoiding eye contact or lowering their body”. Dogs learn that this behaviour appeases aggressors, whether that’s another dog or their owner. It’s a sight Danny Wells, the book’s other co-author, hates to see.
“The worst thing is when a dog’s ears are back and submitting to their owner, because they genuinely believe that their dog knows what they’ve done wrong and feels guilty,” he says. “That’s not to say that there’s no opportunity for a learning experience. But coming in four hours after the damage has been done delivers no learning outcome for your dog – and it really chips away at your relationship.”
The tendency to anthropomorphise our pets is arguably more common today, particularly as birth rates fall and human babies are replaced by fur ones. For many dog owners, their pets form an integral part of family life, with some people feeling closer to them than their parents, siblings, partners and best friends.
One surprising study scanned mothers’ brains, showed them pictures of their babies and their dogs and found the same regions of the brain lit up. “We feel that bond like they’re family,” says Dr Cohen-Hatton – “and I think it’s really important not to underplay how important dogs are to our lives.” While such loving behaviour isn’t a bad thing, simply loving them isn’t enough, however.
“I don’t think you could ever love your dog too much,” Dr Cohen-Hatton smiles. “But I think it’s vital to ensure we provide our dogs with what they need in relation to their species – and this might be very different to what humans need. We have a responsibility to give our dogs what they need to thrive.”
In the book, she gives the example of Molly, who thinks because she enjoys a hot, sunny day in the park that her dachshund Ernest will as well. As she watches him lift his paws up high, she assumes that he is happy because he’s “prancing”. In actual fact, the hot pavement is burning the pads on his paws. “Although we love our dogs, we do them a disservice if we miss out on how to love them as dogs, not as people,” they write.
A blend of cutting-edge neuroscience and practical training tips and techniques run throughout the book on everything from developing your dog’s recall, to training it to sniff out your car keys, but for Wells – a dog trainer and canine behaviourist – there’s one issue that owners and their dogs increasingly present with: separation anxiety.
“Ensuring your dog doesn’t feel like it needs to be in human company all the time is essential, which means putting it on a schedule, in a crate or a pen,” he says. “Get them used to you leaving the house. Teach your dog to adapt to the environment you expect them to live in, otherwise you’re going to be a prisoner to that environment and your dog’s going to suffer.” This is vital for ensuring your dog doesn’t experience undue stress, they add. “We know if a dog experiences chronic stress, it can shorten its lifespan, and none of us want that.”
Wells advises new dog-owners to create a list of all the things you expect a new puppy to do and all the things you want them to avoid – then to systematically work through that list. “That lovely puppy will only remain that way for a short time, leaving you with 13 years of an animal that could hinder your life.”
Perseverance and self-discipline are essential “because it’s going to pull at the heartstrings” but structure is essential. “Even a child would expect to be told ‘no’, but too often we allow our dogs to get away with things until we reach the end of our tether,” the authors write. “If you love your dog, train your dog.”
Training cannot be underestimated when it comes to safety – both for your dog and other people. In the book, the pair reference a scenario where a dog snaps at a stranger who pets it in the street. Under existing laws, a dog doesn’t need to bite someone for this to be considered an offence under Section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act. “You are at risk of legal ramifications if any member of the public feels like your dog could cause them harm,” warns Wells. “So, if your dog is really excited at the end of the lead to see someone, but they have an irrational fear of dogs and it causes them alarm or distress, then it could qualify as a Section 3 offence.”
With this in mind, should we all be asking a dog owner’s permission before we pet it? “Absolutely,” says Dr Cohen-Hatton. “Some dogs don’t like being petted.”
Wells adds: “Dogs only ever have three choices: fight, flight or freeze. And when you put a dog on a lead, you eradicate the ability to flee. They’ll only freeze for so long before they try and create space.”
The book also cites a possessive dog and its owner who doesn’t bother to address this “because she quite likes it”. Instead of attempting to resolve the issue, she warns others to stay away. For the dog, growling becomes a strategy that works by eradicating the competition and keeping its owner to himself. For Dr Cohen-Hatton and Wells, this is bad on several levels, not least because the dog could be seized and destroyed in the event it goes on to bite someone.
Many owners worry about whether their pet enjoys spending time with them. For Dr Cohen-Hatton and Wells, quality of the time spent matters significantly more than quantity. “A strong relationship with your dog requires more than just giving it the bare essentials,” the experts write. Familiarity with a dog isn’t sufficient to warrant their attention – it’s how owners interact with their pet that makes the most difference to their bond.
“Dogs’ brains have evolved to connect with us because their survival has depended on how successfully they’ve lived with us,” says Dr Cohen-Hatton. “They want to build that bond with us – it’s like pushing on an open door. I see a lot of people who absolutely adore their dogs, but the dog walk at the end of the day becomes a chore – it becomes like another thing on their to-do list – and at the same time, they’re catching up with emails or making calls, which I totally get because we’ve all got stuff to do. But this means you’re missing out on the opportunity to bond with your dog.”
Wells agrees. “Being present with your dog is everything. The narrative seems to be that you just need to shower your dog with love and give them treats and that will be sufficient – but it’s not. Not every dog is the same, in the same way that not all people are the same.” Part of the pleasure, it seems, is figuring out exactly what sparks joy in your dog.
“One dog might like you to throw a ball,” he says. “Another, might like to play tug of war. And when you’re just going through the motions, you fail to pick up these little nuances that are unique to your dog. You might be missing out on a world of bonding or unlocking a cheat code to help train your dog.” He continues: “And when it comes to training, getting on one knee and giving them a bit of fuss is often all the reward they need. Through their evolution, they are really attuned to want to serve and to get in our good books.”
One way to do this, the authors suggest, is making yourself the source of fun. Instead of leaving toys lying about the home that the dog can play with whenever it feels like, be the person to bring out the toy and initiate that exchange with your pet. And the pleasure that your dog gets from such connections is not to be underestimated: one 2016 study found that the happiness dogs get from interacting with us means more to them than food.
“To your dog, you are everything,” Dr Cohen-Hatton says. “We’ve got loads of stuff going on in our lives, but when we come home, dogs look at us like we’re rock stars because to them, we are.”
What advice would Dr Cohen-Hatton give to any new dog owner who wants to give their dog a happy life? “Love your dog, but respect it for the species it is,” she says. “Dogs need things humans don’t. Sometimes we miss out on the opportunity to help them live their best lives because we just don’t understand what it is that they need.” This book is a excellent place to start.
What Your Dog is Thinking: The Science Behind Your Dog’s Behaviour and How to Improve It, by Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton and Danny Wells, it out now, published by Little, Brown at £16.99
