Dogs are highly attuned to human behaviors, including detecting changes in emotional state, body language, and, in some instances, bad intentions. They do not necessarily know who is good or evil, and the definition of a bad person could be subjective. However, scientists have found that through the combination of their senses along with instincts, they can discern human untrustworthiness and other negative traits.
Dogs Pick Up on Human Behavior Instinctively
Researchers from Kyoto, have found out that dogs usually avoid people who behave negatively towards their owners. This suggests that dogs watch the interactions of people closely in relation to their owners, and if they are acting like a “bad person” to them, they will avoid these people.
They also found out that if any person misled them and acted dishonestly, they were less likely to follow them during the experiment. An indication that could mean that once they think you are a liar, or lying, aka a bad person, they will they will stop trusting you, and may even avoid you altogether.
They Can Smell Emotional Changes
Dogs possess an extraordinary sense of smell, up to 100,000 times stronger than human beings. This is because of the number of olfactory receptors in their noses, but what you probably do not know is that they can also smell changes in hormones and chemicals in the body.
They detect emotions through our scent, like fear or anxiety, even anger and stress. These allow them to respond to how their owners are feeling even before visible signs appear. So, if a “bad person” is making their owners fearful, they will know.
Dogs Watch How You Treat Others
Dogs can form social evaluations, just like the study mentioned above, where they stop interacting with people who are bad to their owners. They can judge people not only by how you treat them, but also by how you treat other people.
This could mean that dogs understand morality and fairness on the most basic level. Combined with their senses, which can detect emotional hormones in our body, it truly might be possible for them to detect a “bad person”.
It’s Not Just Training — It’s Empathy
Dogs have been man’s best friend for thousands of years, and it is not only because they are a good hunting companion, but also because of their emotional intelligence. Even without formal training, some dogs can be inclined to respond to negative energy.
Just like the study done above, they may avoid people who act aggressively or seem “off,” even before their owners or other humans pick up on it. The key term here, for science to confirm dogs can sense a “bad person,” is how you define it. If your definition includes a person acting negatively towards the owner or people the dog is observing, then yes, they will sense someone as a “bad person”.
