I often get asked how their dog is feeling and whether dogs can harbor resentment. To hold a grudge is to harbor ill will or anger against another person because of an insult or harm sustained by that person. When people mistreat humans, it’s natural for them to feel resentment and even hatred, but can dogs react in the same way? When they’re injured, do dogs keep bitterness, hatred, and other undesirable emotions within their heads?
Canines do retain certain memories of traumatic experiences. A dog could growl at a stranger, show affection for a family member, or friend, and then snarl at another dog that barked at them once when they were out on a walk. What does this imply, exactly? Do dogs harbor resentment? The wide variety of emotions shown by our canine companions prevents cognitive scientists from drawing any firm conclusions.
Observing a dog in action lends credence to the idea that they are present-oriented. Dogs don’t appear to mind if you leave them alone for the day. When you come back, they treat you like a king or queen. When seen through their eyes, you assume the role of monarch.
It is unclear if dogs feel resentment against humans or other animals, but studies of their behavior have shed light on this question. According to Alexandra Horowitz, director of the Dog Cognition Lab in California, our misunderstanding of canine emotions likely stems from our own. She thinks that people give canines feelings, but only human ones. What I’ve discovered about holding a grudge, owning a dog, and life in general.
Dogs, When Hurt, Do They Hold a Grudge?
There is a connection between a dog’s memory and its owner. Dogs are complicated creatures with a wide range of abilities, emotions, and mental processes. Episodic memory, as defined by Horowitz, is the capacity to recall isolated incidents from one’s past. A dog’s sense of smell plays a crucial role in what they recall.
Their future is as clear as the scent a dog remembers. This is how dogs may anticipate the arrival of people or objects (such as the mailman or pizza delivery guy) and give you advance warning. What happens if a dog smells something familiar at the site where it experienced pain or hurt?
Read on for a video demonstration of how dogs can detect your emotions just by looking at you, and find out how they “see” with their noses. We can learn a lot from dogs.
Some canine passengers get shivers whenever their owner gets into the automobile. Some canines show signs of anxiety while visiting the groomer or veterinarian. That could blame the dogs who are worried about what’s going to happen there. A trip to the vet, the groomer, or the vehicle won’t make them resent you, but they will remember the sights and sounds of the journey.
The exact mental process that occurs in an injured dog is as of this writing unclear. Nothing is lost, argues Psychology Today, if we assume that dogs acquire and retain grudges in the same ways that humans do. In any case, there isn’t a single canine that fits all situations. Bootsy might be unfazed by Rocko’s problems. To what extent do dogs forget and forgive, or do they harbor resentment? To put it simply, that’s a conundrum even dogs don’t understand.
The mistreated and neglected pets are a source of inspiration for me as a lifetime dog parent and pet writer. And yet, many of them will still cheerfully wag their tails at a passing human. Some people may learn to trust again, while others are left permanently damaged by the faults of humanity and can never do so. Still bitter? Unlikely. how to react to weeks, months, or years of torment and abuse Absolutely.
If you accidentally hurt a dog, do you think it would forgive you?
In a modern reinterpretation of the classic adage, “to a mistake is human, to forgive is canine.” Dogs, like humans, have feelings and emotions. This has been shown via scientific research.
“Look at it adaptively: emotions are communicating to the muscles and reaction system to bypass the closed-door conversations between the sensory organs and brain,” says Horowitz in Our Dogs, Ourselves. “I see a tiger; I know that tigers are predators and this one is moving toward me… and Hey!,” chimes the brain expressively, “I’m a predator and I’m about to be eaten.” Have no fear! Run!”
Horowitz argues that dogs definitely feel emotions, but that we humans aren’t very good at reading the emotional cues they give us via their body language. And I agree.
There is some truth to the idea that dogs have excellent memories. Dogs are capable of a broad and strong array of feelings. Forgive yourself if you are a kind person who makes a mistake that causes injury to your dog. Confessing shame and labeling oneself a horrible person benefits no one. Therefore, you should refrain from doing so. It’s part of being human that even the best dog owners make mistakes.
If I scold my dog for urinating inside the house, will he hold it against me?
Dogs don’t bear a grudge because you shouted at them; it’s just not one of their feelings. They feel sad and terrified and don’t know what you’re so angry about. Take this as an example.
The well-trained dog goes out while you’re at the office or out shopping, and when you get back, you find that he or she has urinated somewhere inappropriate. You shout at the dog and demand, “What did you do?” while raising your voice. Likely, the dog will shrink, run away, pretend to be guilty, and pout. Dogs are completely clueless as to human emotions. You’re panicking right now, although he peed a while ago.
A dog would have to put a lot of thinking into the decision to urinate inside the home, knowing full well that you would discover it at some unspecified time and would likely get furious and chastise it. A dog’s mind is full of more important things than plotting revenge.
How long do you think your dog will remember you shouting at him? Probably not, but he’ll figure out you’re angry when you arrive home and could cease welcoming you. This in no way suggests that he is trying to cover up wrongdoing on his part. It’s a sign that you’ve instilled in him the habit of using harsh language immediately upon returning home.
The best course of action is to clean up the mess and go back to basic toilet training instructions. Dogs often urinate on the furniture for either psychological or territorial reasons. Out of spite, canines avoid doing their business indoors.
How Do I Apologize to My Dog?
If you hurt your dog by mistake, give yourself a break. In other words, change the narrative you’re telling your head.
Create a list of everything amazing that you do for and with your dog to get started. This might involve anything from taking him for a walk or a vacation to making sure he is well-fed, loved, etc. Put together a list. Feel free to refer back to it if remorse sets in. Always and without fail.
If you don’t let it go, it will consume you and prevent you from spending quality time with your dog. A quote to repeat to oneself is as follows: Ultimately, forgiveness is realizing that you were the one who needed to be set free. Author: Lewis B. Smedes
Treat yourself and your dog to a delightful experience. Take him out for ice cream, have some outside fun, massage his stomach, get him a toy, and play a game with him. Take whatever steps are necessary to reprogram your mind.
I Hurt My Dog Out of Anger
There are things you should NEVER EVER EVER do to animals and do NOT qualify for “oops, I did not mean it.” These things include, but are not limited to:
- Hitting or spanking a dog
- Forcing a dog to do something that causes them extreme distress (i.e. dogfighting, pushing a dog into a dark room and closing the door, things that are sick and twisted)
- Putting a device on your dog that causes harm
- Wiping a dog’s nose/face in feces because “that’ll teach ’em not to do it again”
Please obtain professional treatment for your mental health if you find yourself engaging in any of the aforementioned repulsive dog-related actions on a regular basis.
Whence did I learn about such shady happenings? I have interviewed hundreds of individuals in my career as a writer and reporter, and the following are examples of actions that some people excuse. They don’t fit the norm at all. They’ll never fit in with the average crowd. If you think the above is typical, you should obtain a plant or a pet rock.
Hitting or hurting a dog to establish oneself as a pack leader is no longer acceptable behavior. Hitting or harming a dog because you’re angry will just teach it to fear you and give it pain.
Dogs that show signs of aggression against humans may have been abused, neglected, or otherwise mistreated in the past. If you smack your dog once out of rage, you need to examine your own motivations to understand how you could have acted so horribly. You shouldn’t repeat it. Or, if possible, do not own a dog.
Understanding How Dogs Interpret Human Emotions
When a dog sniffs your hand, it knows exactly how you’re feeling. Alexandra Horowitz has devoted a great deal of time to investigating dog intelligence. It’s interesting to observe how she uses the dog’s nose to guide her in the video she made. When you put yourself in your dog’s paws, you’ll realize why he thinks the world revolves around his nose.
Please Treat Your Pet With Kindness
Being a decent person comes naturally, and acts of compassion cost nothing. Remember that your dog is a live, breathing creature with feelings and needs of his or her own. Dogs aren’t human, therefore they can’t hold grudges the way we can. When the worst among us let us down, they represent all that is good about us. Take on the identity your dog assigns to you.
Do you remember a time when you felt terrible about something you did to your pet? Try to keep in mind that you have friends, that you aren’t human, and that your dog loves you.