Why does my dog do a behavior wrong?

[Giselle]

Sorry, Joel, in my book, dogs don't have a moral understanding of "right" and "wrong". To know "right" and "wrong" is to imply that the animal has a distinct moral code.

Rather, dogs know a) REWARDED behavior and b) PUNISHED behavior. Rewarded v. Punished, not "right" v. "wrong". The dog thinks in positive, negative, rewarded, punished. They don't see "right" and "wrong". WE see "right" and "wrong". WE determine what is "right" and "wrong" behavior.

"Right" and "wrong" are human manifestations. When you say you teach your dog right and wrong behaviors, you're teaching them behaviors that elicit rewards vs. punishments. They see it as "will this behavior elicit reward or punishment?" not, "should I do this because it is 'right'?"

As far as I and the scientific community is concerned, dogs haven't yet proven that they possess that moral guidance. So I believe you and I have different definitions of the words "right" and "wrong" and "good" and "bad".

[Bonny]

Dog & children don't know right from wrong & have to be taught. I have both in my life & am now a grandmother. I guess repetition is the key factor here along with patience. Knowing the child or dog you learn what to expect. If you call the child or dog & they run in the other direction you patiently go get them. The dog gets petted & the child gets taken by the hand & led away from wherever they were running too. I use petting the dog & talking nicely to them as a reward & sometimes a biscuit to get them to understand they will be treated with doggy respect.