But that is the difference - dogs do not have the ability to go further than appeasement to avoid the punishment.
I agree that often people feel that too but you have a very clear idea of why the punishment is forthcoming and why the action was wrong in the first place. These things are denied dogs.
Also if your dog is destructive or messes in the house on a regular basis then the dog is showing you submissive behaviour IN CASE this time you are going to be mad, shout or punish. It has no idea why sometimes you do and sometimes you don't - just that it is a possibility when you come home. It has no idea what makes the difference and does not associate what it did two hours before with your reaction when entering the house.