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Article: Dog guilt probably a reaction to owners' cues.(Front)
- Article from:
- The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)
- Article date:
- July 3, 2009
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 The Virginian Pilot-Ledger Star. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of the Dialog Corporation by Gale Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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By Rob Stein
The Washington Post
WASHINGTON
Many dog owners have had this experience: Arriving home, they discover their pooch looking sheepish, with its head down, ears pulled back, tail tucked between the legs, maybe slinking behind the sofa. Puzzled, they soon discover the reason: a favorite pair of shoes chewed to pieces, or perhaps the kitchen garbage can upended.
But is their canine companion really acting guilty? Or is this an example of people projecting a human emotion onto their four-legged friend?
A new study concludes that it is more likely the latter - that the behavior people interpret as dog guilt is more ...