Have you ever done something you know you shouldn’t only to wind up in the spotlight while making your epic getaway attempt? Perhaps you tried to sneak some candy as a child in front of your parent or stole a quick peek at your phone while your boss looked on? When it comes to being caught russet-handed, this pup would score the top position, and he has exactly the right response to it.
This funny dog video aptly titled “when he didn’t realize you’re in the room” starts off with a cute pooch running happily into the living room with a shoe in his mouth. It’s clear he has stolen his prize but he doesn’t yet realize that Pet Parent is sitting in the corner watching the whole exchange. When the canine gets caught, he stares guiltily up at them while the camera zooms in on him looking around the room for an escape route. Set to playful music, this is definitely one of the dog videos you don’t want to miss.
Crossposted to the r/WatchDogsWoofInside subreddit by u/hawkmoore it also appeared on r/AnimalsBeingDerps and TikTok so many fans have had their chance to weigh in. As commenter u/sokonek04 put it “If I stay perfectly still they can’t see me right?? Right????” Another, u/ShivaSkunk777, joked, “Uh mom I think this is stuck I came STRAIGHT TO YOU for help I SWEAR.” Lastly, the top comment from u/Fabulous-Spread6120 summed it up perfectly :”Both brain cells seem to be functioning appropriately.”
Do dogs actually feel guilty when caught in the act?
The truth is, probably not. While we know our furry friends are capable of all kinds of emotions, guilt and shame are much more complex and research says they probably don’t feel these things, at least in the same way that we do. Most likely, dogs have learned to react this way by studying us, so their real talent lies in recognizing human emotions and behaving in the way we want them to. While correcting a dog on bad behavior in the moment definitely works, if you try to go back and get them to feel guilty about an earlier transgression, you’re probably not making any headway. In this situation, we recommend a quick yet stern “Drop it” and then a reward when he complies (a head pat will suffice).
While these pet parents might need to keep their shoes in a cabinet or on a shelf in the future, it was certainly worth it this time for the laughs. We suspect that the pup did not learn his lesson though despite getting caught shoe in mouth. Long-term, a couple of training sessions might fix this dog behavior for good (unfortunately for his fans).
