DO DOGS KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG?

Do dogs know what is right and what is wrong?

Definitely!

Photos and videos  of them caught red-pawed* after digging through the trash or tearing papers speak volumes about their moral compass.

Of course, most of those mischievous guys have been taught the Behave Yourself basics, and they know that shredding the mail or emptying the garbage bin on the floor is a definite no-no. That's why they play it a little guilty when their owners find out what has been going on while they were away.

Yet, I do think that some dogs have an innate sense of what is right and what is wrong.

Some years ago, I shared my life with two shelter dogs who never rocked the boat, except once, and what happened that day really gave me food for thought.

I had been to the supermarket, and when I came back home, of course my two doggies granted me an over-the-top greeting, you know, that kind of cheers that makes you feel like Marco Polo coming back from China with silk, spices and precious gems. Quite boosting and comforting when you are just back from the nearby shop with the most common household stuff!

So, I put down my shopping bags, and took a cuddling and petting break with my two die-hard fans.

Then, for fear the frozen foods would start defrosting, I left my two 'sled dogs', and went to the kitchen to store my 'shopping hunt' into my igloo, aka my freezer (my inner explorer is craving for an expedition to the North Pole).

Suddenly I realized there was something wrong with Charlie.

He kept racing in and out of the kitchen, stopping dead sometimes to stare at me imploringly.

Well, quite sure I would have to give up my Artic dream, and take Charlie on a 'business trip', you see what I mean : leash, poo bags, and ages spent exploring the same blade of grass. Neither adventurous, nor glamorous, but such is life with dogs.

So, I finished putting away my things, and followed " Pushy Charlie " to the entrance door.

That's where I discovered what his zoomings in and out of the kitchen meant...

I had left the pack of dog dry food near the door, and Indy had managed to tear it, and she was giving herself a treat on the sly.

I scolded her and sent her to the corner, I mean to her basket. 

She pretended to be sorry, but once curled up in her shelter, she looked at Charlie defiantly and growled as if saying " stealing is wrong, ok, but telling on somebody is wrong, too! Justice for all dogs!! ".

So, what do you think, do dogs know right from wrong, or is it only a matter of education?

* For non dog-speaking readers, to be caught red-pawed means to be caught red-handed.