Ever caught your dog doing something ridiculous, like face-planting into the couch or farting during a family dinner, and thought, “He looks embarrassed”?
It’s a funny idea, but science says dogs probably don’t feel embarrassment the way humans do. What looks like “shame” or “guilt” is usually something else.
So, let’s unpack what’s really going on in your dog’s mind, and the truth about shame and embarrassment in canines.
Content:
- Can Dogs Feel Embarrassment or Shame
- Common Situations That Make Dogs Seem Embarrassed
- Understanding and Supporting Your Dog’s Emotions
- Conclusion
Can Dogs Feel Embarrassment or Shame
Humans feel embarrassed when we realize we’ve broken a social rule, such as calling someone by the wrong name or tripping in public. That emotion needs self-awareness and an understanding of how others see us. Dogs don’t have that level of self-consciousness.
They can feel fear, anxiety, confusion, and even empathy. But they don’t think, “Everyone saw that, how humiliating!”
Canine behavior expert, Dr. Stanley Coren, PhD, writes:
“It is fear that makes the dog slink away, not guilt. If you have a dog with this problem, you can demonstrate that the response is fear, not guilt, by tipping over the garbage yourself and letting the dog see it on the floor. Under these conditions a dog that has been punished for raiding the garbage will cringe and try to run. Obviously the animal feels no guilt for your actions, but the sight of you and that mess has conditioned him to produce a strong negative emotion.”
In other words, dogs learn reactions from experience. They don’t feel bad for what they did — they just remember that certain actions (like stealing food) lead to your upset tone.
Still, not everyone agrees. One Reddit user on r/Science writes:
“Just based on my experience with dogs, I don’t think this is true. Dogs sometimes even have that guilty expression before you even realize they have done something wrong... They haven’t done enough research into it anyway.”
The truth likely lies somewhere in between. Dogs aren’t ashamed, but they are deeply sensitive to your reactions. If you want to test out if you can spot your dog being embarrassed, you can use a pet cam to keep an eye on them.
Common Situations That Make Dogs Seem Embarrassed
In canine behavior, there is something called “appeasement behaviors.” These are ways that dogs “appease” an older or aggressive dog, and they also use it on humans. It’s their way of saying, “please don’t be mad at me, I’m friendly!”
We often mistake appeasement behaviors for shame or even embarassment. These can include:
- Lowering the head or avoiding eye contact
- Tucking the tail between legs
- Ears pinned back
- Slow movements or hiding
- Licking their nose or lips
- Trying to lick your face or another dog’s face
- Showing the whites of their eyes
- Or even peeing (called submissive peeing)
They may also wag their tail frantically. You might see this after they knock over the trash, have an accident indoors, or chew a shoe. They’re responding to your tone or body language, not their own moral compass.
Dogs don’t get embarrassed about things humans find awkward either. They’ll sniff crotches, hump legs, or loudly pass gas with zero concern. They simply don’t know those actions are “rude” to us because they don’t live by human social rules.
Understanding and Supporting Your Dog’s Emotions
Even though dogs don’t feel shame or embarrassment, they do experience stress, confusion, and insecurity, and those emotions can look very similar.
To help your dog feel more confident, stay calm, as yelling or scolding only teaches fear. If they have problems that are annoying, like digging through the trash, then keep the trash out of reach. Not every dog learns the impulse control needed to stop doing things you see as bad, so managing their environment is the easiest way to help them avoid problems.
Understand that even the best-trained and most intelligent dog is still an animal with an animal’s instincts, and sometimes those instincts will override so-called “good behavior”. So spend time learning to redirect them calmly from unwanted behaviors and reward positive ones.
The environment also plays a massive role. A well-adjusted dog usually has a structured environment with a routine that involves exercise, training, and play time. Avoid chaos and keep things calm. A soothing sound of running water from the Petcube Fountain is another great way to keep their environment quiet.
It’s also essential to learn to see and understand your dog as a dog, and not as tiny human. This doesn’t mean that you love them any less (they’re still family), but to think of them as humans means that we miss the things they’re trying to tell us that they need as dogs. So one of the best ways to support your dog emotionally is always to learn more about canine instincts, body language, and behavior to meet your dog halfway.
Too often, I see dogs that have a much better understanding of their humans than their humans have of them. And this surprisingly common lack of insight into our best friends and why they act the way they do can cause a lot of problems.
Conclusion
Your dog doesn’t get embarrassed but he does care deeply about you. When he looks “ashamed,” he’s really saying, “Please don’t be upset.” Understanding this helps you respond with empathy instead of punishment, building a stronger bond based on trust and comfort.
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