English Springer Spaniels: Good at Making You Feel Guilty

Mark Tulin is an author who lives in California. He has four books of poetry
and one short story collection, available on Amazon.

Is your dog sad or is he or she just guilt-tripping you?

Courtney Kammers via Unsplash

Do Dogs Suffer From Depression?

Yes, some dogs can get the blues. Dogs can show similar signs of human
depression or sadness like loss of appetite, lethargy, drinking less water,
disinterest, and significant weight loss. Here are some reasons for this:

If the owner is sad
If the dog has a physical ailment
Loss of a loved one like death or going away to college
Changing environment or moving to a new house
Chemical imbalance which might necessitate a trip to the vet
Lack of interaction from owners and lack of exercise

Emotional Range of Dogs and Humans

Please note that I added depression to the table since some experts believe
that dogs get depressed but not to the extent of humans.

Species| Depression| Love| Pride| Anger| Guilt
—|—|—|—|—|—

Humans

Yes

Dogs

Yes

Springer Spaniels: Experts at Looking Sad

You are a sad dog, Springer Spaniel . . . a depressed dog. I can tell. Your
ears are falling, and they’re droopy. You are a sad dog because you can’t eat
when you want to or go for a ride in a car when you want to. I can tell that
you are upset when your owners go to Target or Costco and then get some tacos
at the Mexican restaurant and they don’t take you. I can tell that you miss
them by the way you bark. It sounds agonizing.

You want your owners to suffer as you suffer, but they don’t. They eat their
tacos in utter bliss. Sometimes they eat cheesy bean burritos. Poor Springer
Spaniel. You are in total agony, all alone.

“I would really like some of those plants over there but she won’t let me.”

Irene Ruiz

Is This Springer Spaniel Trying to Guilt Her Owner?

The answer is no. This Springer Spaniel comes from a good home. She gets what
she wants most of the time, and she has a fantastic backyard with a gorgeous
mountain view. All her needs are taken care of, including the medical ones.
She also is not trying to make her owners feel guilty or planning to get
revenge on them for not giving her meat.

According to Dr. Stanley Coren, dogs don’t feel guilty—they don’t even know
guilt exists, so how could they make humans feel guilty?

So, Why Is Bath Time So Torturous?

Oh, no—it’s bath time again. You can tell when your owner walks into a
particular room in the house and you can hear the water running. It makes you
uncomfortable when you have to get wet in the sink. Your owner sprays you with
a hose and soaps you up because you stink so much. You know you are dirty, but
that’s the way dogs are, you rationalize—it’s normal for a canine to smell.
You argue that you don’t complain about how humans stink. You don’t run after
them and scare them half to death and make them sit in an uncomfortable sink
and mess up their day? Besides, the gland on your rear end is the real
culprit—it makes you stink like the dickens!

You also hate it when humans leave the room or push you away in disgust when
you break wind. It’s all those frozen beans that your owners gave you, and you
can’t help it if the humans grow a good hearty garden that is extra yummy!

My tears are really burning my cheeks.

Irene Ruiz

Fun Facts About Springer Spaniels

They are dog-friendly
They are not hypoallergenic
They are very adaptable
They are very popular
They are affectionate and intelligent
They are from England and raised as a sporting dog there. They will bark and chase squirrels.
They live anywhere from 12 to 14 years so enjoy them while you can.
They are a sturdy, medium-sized dog, so you don’t have to treat them like they’re fragile.
They need a lot of activity, so walk them two or three times a day.

Dog Breeds That Have Mastered the Sad Look

Basset Hounds
Pugs
Saint Bernards
Bloodhounds
Dachshund

Sources

Which Emotions Do Dogs Actually Experience? | Psychology Today
Dogs have the same emotions as a human 2 year-old child

Scroll to Continue

Why Does My Cat Sit on My Stuff?

Tips for Home Care for Your Vomiting Cat When You Cannot Visit the Vet

The Top 10 Fastest Dog Breeds

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and
is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a
qualified professional.

Questions & Answers

Question: My Springer spaniel seems sad and anxious since we had to put
our other dog down six months ago. What can I do?

Answer: I would first make sure that your Springer is physically okay. If
the Springer is cleared physically by the Vet, then a pet psychologist might
be in order if the problem persists. Either way, pose this question to the Vet
first.

Do dogs try to guilt us? Are they capable of revenge? Please give me your

feedback on this.

Irene on September 05, 2014:

Ali is great, she knows when l,m sad or when I cry she looks at me like saying
it,s ok and will lay by me to say it,s ok

Mark Tulin on August 23, 2014:

Sounds like an interesting book. Will look for it.

Jaye Denman from Deep South, USA on August 22, 2014:

Thanks, Mark. I’m a retiree, and my dog is my constant companion and beloved
friend.

I love reading about animal intelligence research studies. If you haven’t read
the book THE GENIUS OF DOGS, by Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods, I highly
recommend it.

Regards, Jaye

Mark Tulin (author) from Palm Springs, California on August 22, 2014:

Great comment, Jaye. Your love for dogs shines through!

Jaye Denman from Deep South, USA on August 22, 2014:

Scientific research has proven that dogs are intelligent and experience some
of the same emotions that humans do. However, because the mind of a mature dog
is equivalent to that of a human toddler (about 2 1/2 years old), the dog will
not experience the more complex emotions that humans develop at ages beyond 2
1/2 years. Those complex emotions include guilt, pride, shame and vengeance.

Often, what humans consider guilt or anger is really fear. If the dog does
something that has in the past produced punishment or any unwanted
consequence, what looks like guilt on the dog’s part is fear of punishment.
The dog has learned that the act (unwanted by the human) produces consequences
(unwanted by the dog).

If a dog has been abused and physically mistreated, the dog may snarl and bare
its teeth when the abuser approaches. This isn’t hatred or a desire for
vengeance. It’s fear of abuse and a natural instinct for self-protection.

Dogs live in the moment, which is why we can snap at them for barking
maniacally when we’re tired and irritable, yet ten minutes later they will
cuddle with us on the sofa. Oh, yes, the most important emotion dogs feel is
love, and here they out-do humans. The inability to feel those complex
emotions means dogs don’t place conditions on love. That’s marvelous, isn’t
it?

Voted Up and Interesting

Jaye

Susan Zutautas from Ontario, Canada on August 22, 2014:

I think my dogs show pride when they’ve just been groomed and told how nice
they look. Guilt when they’ve done something wrong and they know it.

Interesting hub. I think all dogs have a sad way of looking at you in order to
perhaps get something they want. Such as that delicious looking steak you have
above.