6 Guilty Dogs Who Put Themselves In Time-Out
A rambunctious dog can be indistinguishable from a mayhem machine roaming through your home. To stop the behavior, the normal doggy misbehavior routine focuses on humans doling out appropriate punishments. Perhaps a dog that won't leave the cookies alone gets banned from the kitchen, or a dedicated couch destroyer has to sit in a kennel for a few minutes.
Sometimes, however, dogs decide to orchestrate their own timeouts after a misdeed. Dogs likely do not feel guilt the way humans do, but they can react to your emotions. Dogs can learn when you're stressed out or annoyed and try to appease you. We found six hilarious and guilty pups on social media who put themselves in timeout without human prompting. In these videos, the dogs seem to realize they were about to be in trouble and put themselves in the corner to avoid it. Their "crimes" encompass everything from lightly biting a friend to peeing inside.
1. Timeout for this Westie means hiding from the humans
The West Highland white terrier is a gorgeous and plucky little snowball. They live to chase, however, and untrained puppies might spice up playtime with a few small nips. An adorable Westie on Instagram nibbled on a human friend and then went into a short, self-imposed timeout as punishment.
The video showed the dog hiding in a small canine tunnel, with only a dazzling white tail and a single leg visible — perhaps he should work on his hiding skills!
2. Chewing on a Tiki torch might be worth the punishment
Sevy's German shepherd realized the backyard Tiki torches weren't being put to good use. Why leave such magnificent items alone when you can chew on them instead? The dog couldn't resist ripping up the decorations. So, Sevy filmed a TikTok showing the aftermath: the dog sitting in a corner, staring at the wall.
@brokesevy Bro put himself in timeout 😂 #guiltydog #germanshepherd #funnyvideo
The moment of Tiki torch joy was followed by a voluntary timeout. A few commenters were convinced the pup was framed, however. "You leave that baby alone, he's innocent!" One defender wrote.
3. Max knew he had messed up
When you have to go, there's not much else you can do. At least, that's how Max seemed to feel — he sometimes poops on the floor. The instinct for pet parents is to respond with punishments, but it can actually be a bad idea to punish your dog for going potty indoors.
@simplywendi50 This boy is something else🤦🏽♀️ #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #dogmom #max
The pup might react in fear rather than change its habits. Max's family doesn't have to worry about that, however. In this TikTok video, you see the tiny dog put himself in timeout after the potty accident. Poor Max!
4. Dozer's misdeeds are a mystery
Sometimes, seeing your dog in a timeout means it's time to launch an investigation. What is the pup punishing itself for?! That's the exact dilemma that faced Dozer's human in this popular TikTok video. The dachshund was hiding in his kennel, giving shifty side glances that practically scream "guilty!".
@dozer_thedachshund Gives himself away every time 🤣 #dachshund #minidachshund #fyp
Dachshunds have sweet personalities, but they're quite clever, so Dozer could potentially have wreaked havoc on unattended belongings. Or, it might have been a potty accident. A viewer commented, "It's always pooping in the house with that face."
5. Lambeau hid himself after eating something off-limits
Lambeau has an unfortunate taste for disgusting eats. He can't stop himself from noshing, so he just puts himself in timeout after the forbidden treat. A short TikTok clip features Lambeau squeezed into the space between a dresser and the wall after chowing down.
@lambeau_the_golden the way he immediately put himself in timeout tells me everything i need to know 😭🐾 #puppy #goldenretriever #timeout #dogadvice #dog
The golden retriever looked like he was trying to make himself as small as possible. A commenter said their pooch likes to raid the litter box for cat poop, and Lambeau's owner admitted the golden did something similar.
6. Catherine might be looking for time to herself
From a dog's point of view, a timeout doesn't have to make sense. In this TikTok video filmed from a moving RV, Catherine might have been sitting in timeout for doing something bad, or she might just have been trying to get away from the family for a bit.
@bulldogcatherine
Catherine's humans admitted they had no idea why the bulldog was settled in the lonely spot behind the driver's seat. She looked adorable, though. A few commenters responded to the cuteness with emoji hearts.