How dogs think

Dogs are really amazing beings. They're so attuned to their people in so many ways. And yet there are fundamental differences between the ways we think and process.

As dog trainers, we’ve learned a few absolute truths about the way dogs act:

1. Dogs will, absolutely reliably, do the thing that’s most rewarding for them.

2. People don’t always understand what that reward is or why the dog values it.

3. Dogs have absolutely no concept of cause and effect.

4. People are baffled by this disconnect.

In the eye of the beholder

One of the most difficult dog concepts for most people is that dogs really don’t discriminate between “good” attention and “bad” attention. 

That’s why, despite the fact that you yell at them every single time they jump on guests, they still jump on guests. Because they get the “reward” of attention every time they do it. The dog doesn’t really care that you’re angry or frustrated. They only know that they’ve snagged your focus. You’re interacting with them. And they love it.

So jumping on guests gets the “reward” the dog was looking for. And you fell right into the trap.

If you want to get your dog to greet people politely, teach them an alternate behavior that gets them an even better reward - your attention and a treat! Check out our training tip on polite greetings: https://2-minute-trainer.com/2025/03/28/greetings-game/

People plan, dogs act

People plan most of their lives around cause and effect. That’s because we can plan for the future. If you ignore the rules of the road, you will probably be in an accident. Knowing possible bad effects, you act to avoid them.

Dogs live in the moment. They have no concept of consequences. If they did, Booker, Fran’s 12-year-old Boston Terrier, would have figured out by now that eating grass makes him throw up. But once those tender green shoots sprout every Spring, he’s munching away. He doesn’t know the consequences of his actions.

No-guilt living

A corollary of this lack of foresight is that dogs don’t feel guilt. Many people think they do, but they’re often misinterpreting the signals the dogs gives.

One example people cite is when their dogs have an “accident” and then display “guilty” behavior, like laid-back ears and low tail. 

But when you know how dogs think, you know they’re not ashamed of the accident. They know they’re in trouble when you find it. It’s the finding, not the doing, that they fear. That’s why dogs will start hiding their accidents behind the sofa. To spare you the pain of discovering it.

Sideways view

When your dog does something and you can’t figure out why, ask yourself what “reward” could they be looking for? What do they get out of it?

Remember that reward has to be fairly immediate. If they find something on the table that’s fun to chew, they’ll grab stuff off the table all the time. Or it may be the “catch me if you can” chase that’s fun for them. Your dog doesn’t care that you’re pissed. Your dog cares that you’re playing with them, loudly.