We once owned a dog named Larry who was a vindictive pee monster when I was a child. at least that is what my father used to refer to him as. Well almost; the words were a bit different. Every month or so, Larry the dog would urinate inside the house, usually after receiving a reprimand.
Since then, I’ve pondered whether our dog was urinating out of spite, for attention, or simply because he was irate from being corrected by my strict father.
I made the decision to look into what experts in science and canine behavior thought about this. What I learned about whether or not dogs urinate inside the house out of spite is as follows:
Do dogs urinate out of spite? No, dogs don’t urinate out of spite, anger, or for attention and retaliation. Instead, they will urinate indoors to express their anxiety, fear, medical issues, territorial markings, or just because they have no choice but to do so.
I wanted to share more information about why dogs don’t actually urinate out of spite or retaliation. Here is what research on dog behavior and the causes of dogs peeing in houses has to say.
Do Dogs Act Out of Spite?
So when you get home from work, your house is already messy. The stuffing from your favorite pillows is all over the place because your dog managed to chew on them!
You turn to look at your dog after furiously glancing at the mess. The word “guilty” seems to be flashing all over his face and body language!
Slinking away, tucking the tail, and keeping the ears back give the impression that your dog has just been caught in the act and is feeling guilty, but is this really the case?
“Dogs don’t urinate on the ground or destroy things just for fun.” Incomplete housetraining, insufficient exercise, or anxiety are the most likely causes of the behavior, according to board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Valerie V. Tynes.
If dogs aren’t aware that they are acting improperly, why do they act guilty?
If Not Spite, Then Why Do Dogs Act Guilty?
Everywhere on social media, there are pictures of “guilty dogs” that we have all seen. images of dogs with captions expressing intense regret for being particularly mischievous But is Rover actually acting out of spite and feeling guilty about it?
According to a 2009 study that was published in the journal Behavioural Processes, the guilty expression your dog gives you when you find that he has pooped all over the floor is most likely a dog’s way of responding to your intense disappointment.
In the experiment, dogs were instructed not to consume a forbidden treat, and whether they did or did not, they were later accused of a wrongdoing.
The study found that even when dog owners confronted innocent dogs who hadn’t consumed the forbidden treat, they were conveying guilt through their body language.
Therefore, it is likely that after thousands of years of coexisting with humans, dogs have mastered the art of making appeasement gestures when their masters express anger, frustration, or simply have a sullen expression on their face.
Dog’s don’t understand revenge and are not spiteful creatures
The bottom line is that dogs do not comprehend retaliation and will not act spitefully. They have no concept of retaliation because they are preoccupied with food, entertainment, warmth, and survival in their pack, where there is a clear hierarchy.
Dogs are present-oriented and perceive time differently than humans do. It’s not how we might keep a grudge and hold on to a memory in order to exact revenge later.
According to Science Focus:
A dog won’t weigh the options and decide to punish you out of spite in response to a situation.
Instead, dogs experience health issues, territorial marking behaviors, separation anxiety, and fear, which cause them to urinate indoors.
Depending on the timing, you might perceive them peeing inside and associate it with something you did previously (in human time), attributing their behavior to retaliation.
You may think that your dog is peeing inside out of spite, to attract attention, or simply because he may be angry.
Here’s all the reasons it could be happening.
FAQ
Do dogs misbehave on purpose?
Some dogs misbehave due to boredom and insufficient exercise, while others lack proper training. When a dog is anxious, they may also act in ways that seem to be misbehaving.
Do dogs do things to be spiteful?
Despite what it may seem like, dogs are not vengeful animals. Our dogs’ actions frequently have deeper meanings; they are communicating with us in the only way they are able to. Dogs are very emotional beings. They feel our emotions and they respond to our energies.
Do dogs act out when mad?
Dogs can be upset by a situation, but not in the same way that you do when someone annoys you. A secondary emotion, according to HealthyPsych, anger is what people experience in response to primary emotions like fear and sadness.
Do dogs act out of revenge?
Dogs do not have a concept of “revenge”. Their thought processes are primarily focused on the “pack” identity, in which one member is the alpha and the others are arranged in a specific pecking order. (If owners are unaware of this psychology, the dog will typically think of itself as the alpha. ).