My friend has a dog, a large German Shepard, and he is a really good dog. Like most dogs that size and young age it has a lot of energy and playfulness. It has a really good temperament and is good with people and kids. It will sometimes bark at strangers, which is totally normal as long as it doesn't turn aggressive.
He tells me stories of his dog and it's behaviors, claiming that his dog plots revenge and does things out of spite. Being a long time dog owner myself and reading enough material on animals to write my own book, I laughed at him and told him that dogs do not have that type of human emotion. He does not believe me, and will not research anything, and is firmly stuck in his belief that his dog is vindictive.
He will go on to give me examples like, he comes home and the dog has chewed his shoes, and only his shoes, the dog will get into the garbage after he has been in trouble for something else. The dog will dig up the yard even though he knows it's wrong and has been punished for it. The dog poops on the floor when it doesn't get his way. The dog knows it has been bad because he puts his head down and tucks his tail between his legs.
Does this sound like an animal that wants revenge to you? Does it sound like it's being vindictive? To me it sounds like it is bored, the dog chews his shoes because he can smell the scent of his owner on them, if the dog is bored they will chew on anything, the same goes with digging or getting into the garbage. If the dog has to go outside and is constantly bothering you and you tell it to go lay down, don't be surprised if it poops on the floor. When a dog lowers its head and puts its tail between its legs, it is not because it feels guilty, it's because it can sense anger and hostility and is trying to not draw attention to itself, it's also trying to calm you down.
We humanize our animals, and we do it very poorly. When you look up and see a cloud in the sky, just because you see a face up there does not mean that there is one.
If dogs were truly vindictive, and secretly tried to screw you over at every chance, can you imagine what sort of damage that they could cause? Imagine every cord to every appliance in your house chewed through, there would be pee on all your beds, pillows, mattresses, clothes floors, rugs, there would be crap on your counters, couches, chairs and tables. Your car keys would be gone, TV remotes chewed up, anything you value would be destroyed. Why even bother destroying your stuff when they could just kill you. If Dogs did this sort aggressive vindictive behavior no one would own one.
Read up on the behaviors of animals and what they mean, or watch a video. How are you supposed to correct an undesirable behavior when you mistakenly have come up with your own reasons and corrections for it.
Scott Goerz
