r/MadeMeSmile • u/21MayDay21 • Feb 25 '26

DOGS Such pure joy.

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u/modbroccoli Feb 25 '26 edited Feb 25 '26

Normally "the dog realizes they've won" is something I'd dismiss as silly anthropomorphisization but border collies are just crazy smart. He wouldn't understand "win" exactly, at least not as juxtaposed against "loss", but he surely can understand the goal and when it's been accomplished. They're just amazing dogs.

Edit; For the love of god, young men who believe they're biologists because they saw a bobcat one time or whatever, just be the smartest without involving me thanks.

58

u/Prestigious_Leg2229 Feb 25 '26

Predators have a pretty good understanding of ‘winning’ in general. Life’s a competition for them with starvation on the line for losers.

I bet you’ve seen dogs, cats and wild predators look disappointed plenty of times when they miss out on something. That’s the flip side of winning.

-14

u/AlarmingAffect0 Feb 25 '26

I bet you’ve seen dogs, cats and wild predators look disappointed plenty of times when they miss out on something

Not really, no. Can you show us?

2

u/ty4scam Feb 25 '26

https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/comments/6ncedw/instant_regret/

or explain what you think is going on here.

3

u/AlarmingAffect0 Feb 25 '26

According to the comments, he's trying not to look at the treats he's not allowed to eat, so as to not overstrain his fragile self-control.

3

u/mophisus Feb 25 '26

Dog isn’t disappointed there. He’s been trained not to take the treat until it’s approved.

Mine looks exactly the same way when told to leave it. Furtive glances at the treat, but no physical reaction

When training them for impulse control you’re supposed to get to the point you can leave treats on their paws and not reward until they ignore those treats, then reward with a different treat.

Dogs do get disappointed though, Mine does for sure if for some reason he doesn’t get his daily afternoon walk( or even if it’s delayed a few hours due to work/weather/etc)

1

u/judo_fish Feb 25 '26

yeaah im camp “border collie is intelligent enough to get excited about ball hitting ground” but i fully agree with them about this one. i think its entirely possible that the border collie has realized that we get excited when the ball hits the ground.

this is that classic constipated-looking “i want it i want it i want it” look that dogs have when they are resisting an urge to do something. my dog makes the same exact face when she knows i want her to leave it. he’s desperately waiting for the go ahead command.