Can dogs lie to their owners?

How many cases have been recorded when a dog deceived a person? Are pets honest with their owners, and what do the latest studies say?

Can dogs lie?

Looking at your beloved four-legged friend, it’s hard to imagine that he can hide the truth. I would like to believe that the pet is too sweet, devoted and full of love to deliberately deceive the owner. However, recent research shows that dogs are capable of lying or hiding the truth if it suits them.

Scientists from the University of Zurich conducted a study and published it in the journal Animal Cognition. According to the rules of the experiment, the dogs interacted with human partners and human competitors. The human partner shared with the dog any treats offered in the study. A human competitor showed the dog a treat, but kept it for himself and did not share it with her.

At the next stage of the study, the dog was asked to take the person with whom she worked to one of the three boxes. One of them was empty, another contained ordinary cookies, and the third contained sausages, which were considered the most desirable treat for a dog. According to the results of the study, the subjects most often led a human partner to a box of sausages, and a competitor was taken away from this box to one of the other two.

The dogs simply did not want to share their sausages and deliberately took the “competitor” away from them so that he would not take possession of them. This once again confirms that animals can deceive if it is beneficial for them.

What to do about dog deception

Since there are no obvious signs that a dog is cheating, it will be difficult to determine if he is really trying to swindle his owner. This does not mean that now you need to be suspicious of your beloved pet.

Most likely, a dog is an honest animal, craving love and attention. She just found a quick way to get what she needs.

When this study was discussed in an article for Psychology Today, an example was given of a dog barking to warn its owner that someone was approaching the house. When the owner looks out the window and reacts to the dog’s signals – regardless of whether someone was actually on the street or not – he reinforces her attempt to attract his attention in this way.

Most likely, the dog that does this has no bad intentions and is just trying to make life easier for itself. Therefore, do not try to correct behavior aimed at deception. Just loving a dog and setting boundaries is enough for a wonderful life together. 

Do not worry that the dog can sometimes deceive. Knowing that even the kindest four-legged friend is able to manipulate the situation, you should not reproach him for this, because he is just trying to pamper himself once again.