Dogs Have a Sense of Right and Wrong

re: Dogs Have a Sense of Right and Wrong

Islander — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:48:17 GMT

Uh-oh, I'm gonna get in trouble again.

If, at the annual office picnic, you and your boss were opponents in a team game, would you knock him down to gain an advantage? Not unless you were a perfect idiot. It's not about right and wrong, but about status and dominance. In casual parlance it's called "pecking order," but it exists in every creature from chickens, through wolves and dogs, to human beings. There is an alpha male (or female) in every group, and each member of any group knows their position vis-a-vis every other member of the group. Where do you think the phrase "top dog" came from?

Concepts of right and wrong are examples of higher order thinking having to do with issues of ethics and morals. Your dog knows nothing of morals. All he knows, by your tone of voice, is that you are displeased - and he is smart enough to want to avoid punishment.

re: Dogs Have a Sense of Right and Wrong

Janet Blazen — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:52:12 GMT

You are correct about some dogs knowing right from wrong. I don't want to sound gross here but ever since we've had our dog we have shamed her when she passes gas. Now when she does it she cowers in shame and won't look at us.

She also is an avid t.v. watcher. She gets all excited when there is an animal on the screen and will go to the t.v. and put her paws up on the cabinet and watch very intently. When we turn it off she has a fit and brings us the remote so we will turn it back on.

By the way she is a Queensland Heeler (cattle dog)

re: Dogs Have a Sense of Right and Wrong

BeeGirl — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:19:16 GMT

"the animals abide by rules and expect others to do the same. In other words, they know right from wrong."

How can you equate the ability to anticipate results with knowing the difference between 'right' and 'wrong'?

Right and wrong? Right and wrong!!! Following rules, being obedient,
doing as you've been taught to earn the approval of others including
those in power constitutes 'right'?

This is so wrong!

re: Dogs Have a Sense of Right and Wrong

Katie B — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:39:50 GMT

Our dogs know the difference, but the smell of beef is just too much of a temptation for them not to steal!

re: Dogs Have a Sense of Right and Wrong

Aaltrude — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:12:29 GMT

Good one Rogway - your post gave me my first good laugh for the day.

The example 42 gives shows that dogs can understand from past experience when they do things you don't allow. One of our dogs likes to try and eat chips of bark from the wood we have inside for our heater. You can tell by the sly way he sneaks up to it when he thinks we are not looking that he knows we don't want him to do it. You do however have to be careful in your interpretation of their actions. If you see your dog doing something wrong, call your dog over to you then tell them off, their reaction in this case is more likely to be to your tone of voice than to any any cognition of wrong doing. All you are likely to achieve in this situation is to teach your dog it is not pleasant to come when called. This is a mistake that I have often seen unrealising people make - you are actually telling them off for coming to you. You should only ever reprimand a dog for a misdeed if you catch it in the act and you should always praise your dog when it comes when called even if it was misbehaving immediately beforehand. In this case you just have to bite your tongue and wait for the next opportunity to let your dog know what is not acceptable behaviour.

re: Dogs Have a Sense of Right and Wrong

JWRM42 — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:36:44 GMT

I'd say just about every dog owner knows that dogs know right from wrong.

If my pouch does something wrong, you can immediately tell. His tail doesn't wag as much, and he doesn't act right. Then you see what he did and say something like "What you do?",it is almost as if he is saying he's sorry for it.....

42

Also, thanks Rogway! I laughed so hard when I read that story! I'm still laughing about it after I read it yesterday.

re: Dogs Have a Sense of Right and Wrong

Rogway — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 03:56:59 GMT

I'd say dogs do have a sense of rite and rong now that I look back.

And I've also always heard dogs are smarter than humans, so I set out one day to find out for myself.

I followed my dog around, where he went, I went and what he done I done. He licked himself, I licked myself. He rolled over, I rolled over. He pawed with all fours, I pawed with all fours. He peed on a weed, I peed on a weed.

Then, I got a ticket for urnating in public but he got off scott-free. I argued why don't my dog get a ticket, he did it first, then I got another ticket for resisting. Could have sworn my dog was laughing.