Dog guilt

Owners instructed their dogs not to eat the treat put in front of them, then left the room.

The researcher, Alexandra Horowitz, split the dogs into two groups.

While the owners were gone, Horowitz either removed the treat or gave it to the dog.

Owners were then invited back into the room and were randomly told their dog had or hadn’t eaten the treat, regardless of whether it was true.

Those who thought the dog had eaten the treat delivered a stern ticking off. All dogs responded with a show of remorse, regardless of whether they'd actually eaten the treat.

Horowitz concluded that submission is an in-built behaviour in dogs – an evolved survival instinct for a domesticated dog to please his human companion.

Dogs don’t feel guilt. They’re telling us what we want to hear.

People aren’t much different.

Most of us avoid confrontation and people please.

Ask a network of ‘ideal fit’ buyers what they think of your idea, many will tell you how great it is, along with additional features that would make it perfect.

None of this validates your product potential.

Like dogs, what they say doesn’t necessarily correspond with how they behave.

Actions display desire, not words.

The dog wants to please the human, but when there's no human to please, the dog pleases the dog.

People want to please you, until you ask for payment details, at which point they please themselves.

That’s when you learn what they really think of your product.