This National Dog Day, Remember: Science Says Dogs Cannot Be Shamed

It’s National Dog Day. (However, given that it’s celebrated the world over, shouldn’t it be International Dog Day?)

On August 26, dog-lovers (aka, everyone) unite to spread the message of all things canine; specifically, to remind people that many dogs go abandoned and need rescuing.

It’s also a time to honour dogs with jobs, from law enforcement pooches – and even those who detect bombs and save victims of tragedies from wreckage – to the companions of the blind.

Basically: dogs are the best.

And yet, one of the most popular Tumblrs on the web, Dog Shaming, seeks to besmirch their good names. (It’s actually adorable and hilarious, but follow us on this.)

Thousands of contributors have sent in snaps of their dogs looking racked with guilt having just done something dog-ish – like eating, and then pooping, someone’s slippers – usually with an accompanying, hand-written message of regret (though we have a few suspicions about the authorship of such confessions).

An extreme example, courtesy of Dog Shaming.

So, ABC News has come to remind us that, actually, we're not outsmarting or embarrassing dogs at all. Veterinary scientist Doctor Susan Hazel has told the ABC that dogs don't even feel shame.

“There's been a number of studies done and it's pretty clear that dogs don't feel or display guilt," Dr Hazel said.

"Dogs will show appeasement-like behaviour that some owners interpret as guilt.

"They will also react to the person's body language, so dogs are absolute geniuses at picking up what we think before even we know it.”

So, this National Dog Day, remember this: your dog is playing you.

Sneaky, brilliant pups. Have a great dog day afternoon.