[4NGI3]

I just wanted to know what you guys think.

When i come home from work and nelson's been bored/bad (either ripped up a newspaper all over the yard or dug a big hole in the garden) does he know that he's done something wrong? I've read The Dog's Mind and the book says that he has a short memory so wouldn't remember what hes done or that it was wrong. but to me i think that he KNOWS because i'll do outside and he'll crouch down really low like hes saying "oh sht, shes noticed it. if i get down really low maybe she won't see me" even in his face you can tell he knows hes done something wrong.

i never tell him off for it now because of what i read in teh book. because aparently if u tell him off then he'll be accustomed to you telling him off everytime you come home from work.

what do u think?

 

[racmoo]

bella knows she has done wrong, because usually she has done it on purpose. not in a spiteful way (obviously...she's a dog) but if she chews on the things meant for chewing then a) she cant destroy them (which is the best kid of fun) and b) she doesn't get the same attention from us. bella is around us 24/7 pretty much and so her window for destrction is small. that said she really can power through destroying things in a short time.

 

[coco]

I sometimes think my dogs memory is not so short. If have done something wrong, when I get home they dog the same thing as Nelson. Look at me kinda like, well Mom, let me have it. I don't usually fuss at them, because I have always been told they don't remember. But I think a dog must have made that rule!!

 

[4NGI3]

I sometimes think my dogs memory is not so short. If have done something wrong, when I get home they dog the same thing as Nelson. Look at me kinda like, well Mom, let me have it. I don't usually fuss at them, because I have always been told they don't remember. But I think a dog must have made that rule!!

:lol: LOL now that you mention it, it all makes perfect sense! i really do think a dog made that rule! :lol:

 

[SOFTAILJACQUE]

I think they do a good job of whodunnit lol....
kinda like in this picture here from last night
redhanded...whodunnit

 

[4NGI3]

LOL!!!!!!!! looking at that face, i TOTALLY believe that he didn't do it! that doesn't look like a face that would lie to you. YOU must have done it in your sleep, don't blame the innocent little puppy :lol:

 

[augrad]

Buster never seems to have a clue. But then again, Buster is an idiot. :wink:

 

[wizworx]

I say that they have a memory and that they know that they have done wrong... normally our dog Zeke will always meet us at the door making all kinds of happy sounds but when he does not meet you at the door and he is hiding in the house somewhere just peeking around the corner at you and already trying to make himself shrink then you know that he has done something that he was not supposed to do, then comes the fun part searching the house to see exactly what it was..... LOL!!!

 

[RJ'sMom]

This is interesting actually.
I have heard from some vets and some trainers that dogs don't understand the difference between whether you were gone for two days or just gone to the mailbox for a minute....but I'm not sure I agree.

I am home most of the day since I work here but when I have to travel my female Crested will not come near me for the first day at least when I get home. It's as if she is disgusted that I would leave her alone for so long to have to sleep with her brothers instead of in my bed with me. Maybe it's becasue it's an overnight thing so she notices a disruption in her schedule, no hanging out in Mommy's bed.

RJ, my bully pup, has actually already learned the "guilty" look, followed by the "Oh my gawd how could you possibly be mad at me I'm so damned cute" look, but he's rarely unattended for more than a few minutes.

My Cresteds are honestly too arrogant to care whether they have gotten in trouble or not, in fact one of my males will actually drag a pile of whatever he tore up from the bathroom trash right into my office so I know he did it. SIgh...it's almost hard not to respect that kind of arrogant confidence in a dog so I rarely punish him. At least he comes clean about it.

K

 

[bella_blue]

For some reason, Bella cowers when I catch her snuggling on or sucking on one of our blankets. I've never yelled at her for taking one of our blankets, but I do take them away from her (and then yell at myself for not watching her among all the irresistable blankies!!) Now, when I walk into the living room and she's got a blanket on the couch, she makes herself as low as possible and gives up the blanket without a fight.

 

[augrad]

My cousins had an Afgan Hound growing up, and he was not allowed on the couch. Of course, whenever they left the house, he would get up there, so when they came home and found him there, he would cover his eyes with his paws. It was the cutest darn thing ever. How could you get mad at that?

 

[Bogie]

I don't know how, must have something to do with me being raised Catholic, but we somehow managed to instill our dog with a sense of guilt. One afternoon I gave our girl some cooked egg whites as a treat and tossed the yoke in the garbage. I then went upstairs and got on the computer. A couple of minutes later, Vega comes into our office with her head down and tail between her legs. I say "What did you do? You did something, didn't you? What was it?" I gave the house a once-over and everything seemed fine. Later that evening I went to dump some trash into the garbage can and notice the egg yoke was gone! Little girl knew she shouldn't get into the garbage, but did and knew she did wrong and came upstairs to apologize, kind of like when a teenager has to tell dad that he wrecked the car. Needless to say, after that, we always make sure to cover the can.

 

[Kasco]

Well, not sure, but what I've heard is that they don't really know or remember they've done wrong. What they react to is your body language, expression, tension, etc. whan you see the mess they've made. Even if you don't react by yelling, they still pick up on those subtle changes in your body that tell them....uh oh I'm in trouble.

BTW Augrad, you made me laugh out loud!! :lol:

Buster never seems to have a clue. But then again, Buster is an idiot.

Poor Buster Boo!