Can dogs comprehend "sorry"?

[Tinkerbee]

Having just tripped over Tinks and sending her flying

I wondered whether dogs come to understand sorry?

Anytime Tink gets stepped on/squished/tripped over ( I dont abuse her, she just shadows you when you least expect it

) I say "Sorry Tinks"

and make a fuss of her, and if it was really bad she gets a treat

Do you think they come to recognise the word sorry? Like the way they learn sit/stay etc? Do they realise we didnt mean to boot them up the bum that time? Or is it just my anthromorphism running away with me?

 

[sloulou]

They understand appeasment - which I guess is sort of sorry...

as in if my dog does something I don't like - I tell him ah-ah and he'll start offering me appeasement (like he's saying sorry).

What I don't know is whether they understand you saying sorry as a form of 'appeasement' - they would have to learn that's what it means I guess

ETS: for my dog - offering appeasement means ears right down, approaching me sideways with body low and wagging tail (not in an excited way, but kind of apologietic!) and trying to lick me..

 

[Oneofthepack]

[ QUOTE ]
Having just tripped over Tinks and sending her flying

I wondered whether dogs come to understand sorry?

[/ QUOTE ]

God the amount of times I do that!!! Only I fall over one and splatter 4 others on my way down. I spend my whole life apologising and offering treats and often wonder if they stand behind me on purpose