Have you seen it, the viral video of a "guilty" dog? A yellow lab sits hunched in a corner while his owner asks if he's the one who got into the bag of kitty treats. The dog turns his head away, squints his eyes (not in a happy way I would argue) and after considerable prompting (or pressure), looks "guilty." Except, the "guilty" look is actually a perfect example of what is called a "submissive grin," used to appease another higher status individual. Most biologists call this an example of "active submission," in which an animal is attempting to increase the distance between it and another member of its social unit. (Versus "passive submission" which promotes a decrease in distance; for example, lying down and exposing the anal/genital regions.) I know that "submission" is not a Read More
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