Why Does Your Dog Give Your The Guilty Face?

Have you ever noticed the “guilty” face your dog gives you whenever they’ve done something bad? Why does it happen? Is it really guilt, or something else?

To begin with, humans often anthropomorphize their pets. We like to assign human traits, emotions, and reactions to their expressions and actions, even if they’re nowhere near accurate. So you joke about how your dog stares at you like you’re crazy, or how they’re grumpy when you say no to them.

There isn’t that much harm in anthropomorphizing animals, but trouble arises when you begin believing those thoughts are true. For example, if you come home and find your dog looking guilty, you may automatically assume they’ve done something bad and scold them.

The common markers for “guilt” are actually more likely to be a dog showing fear, cowering by putting their tail between their legs and lowering their eyes and ears with a hunched back. When you scold your dog for doing something bad, they cower, and we associate that with guilt.

Studies have found that “guilty” expressions in dogs are reliant on your actions. They don’t indicate any real measure of guilt at all. So the next time you see your dog looking a little sheepish, don’t get angry! They’re probably reacting to something in the world around them.

Feature Image Source: Pixabay