By Christine D. Calder,
DVM, DACVB
Calder Veterinary Behavior Services, www.caldervbs.com
You walk through the door and immediately spot the evidence—your favorite shoes are in pieces, trash is scattered across the floor, or a mysterious yellow puddle is waiting near the front door. Before you even say a word, your dog lowers its head, avoids eye contact, licks its lips, yawns, tucks its tail, or slinks away.
It seems obvious—your dog knows it did something wrong. But does it really feel guilty, or is something else going on?
Do Dogs Feel Guilty?
Dogs, like humans, experience a range of emotions such as joy, fear, sadness, and frustration. But what about guilt? Many dog owners assume that when their dogs give them that classic “guilty look,” they are feeling bad about their actions and “know” they did something wrong. However, scientists say dogs may not experience guilt the same way humans do. Instead, that guilty expression is more of a reaction to our behavior rather than an actual feeling of remorse.
Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, a dog behavior expert, studied how dogs respond in situations where guilt might be expected. Her research suggests that the guilty look is not a sign of guilt but a response to a human’s tone of voice or body language. In other words, instead of thinking, “I feel bad about what I did,” a dog is more likely thinking, “You look upset, and I want to stay safe.”
To test this, Dr. Horowitz conducted an experiment. Dogs were told not to eat a treat while their owners left the room. Some followed this rule while others ate the treat. When the owners returned, some were falsely told their dog had eaten the treat—even if they had not. Surprisingly, the dogs who were scolded, but had not eaten the treat, still showed the classic guilty look. This suggests that dogs are not feeling guilty about breaking a rule but are simply reacting to their owner’s emotions and trying to avoid conflict.
Emotional Responses
Dogs experience a range of emotions, but guilt is more complicated. Unlike humans, they do not have the same level of self-awareness or moral reasoning. When your dog gives you that guilty expression, it is not feeling bad about its actions. Instead, it is responding to your reaction. Dogs are very good at responding to human body language and recognizing tones of voices. If they sense you are upset, their instinct is to de-escalate the situation and avoid conflict however they can.
Why Do Dogs Act Guilty?
Dogs are experts at reading human emotions. If you look upset, even for a reason that has nothing to do with them, they might still give you that guilty look just to keep the peace. This behavior comes from their wolf ancestors. In a wolf pack, when there is tension, a wolf might lower its body, avoid eye contact, or make itself appear smaller to indicate to others that it is not a threat. Dogs do the same thing with their human families and other dogs. It is their way of saying, "I don’t want any trouble."
Dogs also learn from experience. If they have been scolded for making a mess in the past, they might start looking guilty before you even say a word. This is not because they necessarily remember doing something wrong, but rather because they associate certain situations with your frustration. Imagine walking into a room and finding trash all over the floor. Your dog sees your reaction and immediately gives you that guilty look. But they are not thinking, "Oops, I shouldn't have done that." Instead, they are likely thinking, "Last time there was trash on the floor, my human got mad, so I better act small and stay out of trouble."
The same thing happens with house training accidents. If a dog has been punished for urinating inside, it does not feel guilty about it. Instead, it learns that urine on the floor is not safe and often leads to its owner getting angry. The reaction is not an apology but rather an attempt to avoid conflict and keep the peace.
Does Punishment Work?
Since dogs do not actually feel guilty, and they live in the moment, punishing them after the fact does not work. If you come home hours later and scold your dog for chewing up a shoe, it will not connect your reaction to what it did earlier. Instead, it will see you as unpredictable and scary, which can lead to fear, confusion, stress, and frustration.
Instead of punishment, focus on positive reinforcement training and guiding your dog toward the behaviors you want. Prevention is key. By managing its environment and consistently reinforcing good behavior, you can set the dog up for success and prevent unwanted habits before they even start.
1. Catch them in the act. If you see your dog chewing on a shoe or jumping on the counter, redirect it immediately to something appropriate, like a chew toy or a food-dispensing puzzle. Teaching simple cues like "touch" can also help guide dogs away from bad habits in a positive way.
2. Use positive reinforcement. Reward good behavior with treats, play, or whatever your dog finds motivating. When a dog learns that good choices lead to rewards, it is more likely to repeat those behaviors.
3. Avoid delayed punishment. If you find a mess after the fact, simply clean it up and focus on preventing future incidents by improving supervision and providing better alternatives.
Although dogs may not feel guilty the way humans do, they are incredibly aware of our emotions. That guilty look is not an admission of wrongdoing, it is their way of interpreting your mood. By understanding this, we can build trust instead of fear. So, the next time your dog gives you that guilty look, remember—it is not confessing to a crime. It is simply responding to you and your behavior instead.