Labrador Tries to Hide 'Guilty Face' After Digging Hole in Yard and Fails Miserably

Our dogs all have their own responses to being caught doing something they know good and well they are not supposed to do. As much as they might like to pretend they don't, most pups know the rules, and that means they know what happens when they break them. Some dogs will immediately 'fess up, and others will pull out the charm and the puppy dog eyes to try to reduce their sentence (and yes, that works on me every time). But then, there are the dogs like the one in this TikTok video who are committed to pretending nothing even happened.

Yes, this pup has been caught in the act, but he is not about to admit it, even if it means trying to hide his guilty face forever.

In this TikTok video, @seb_aubrey shared footage of what happened when his dog, a Labrador Retriever named Jax, got caught digging up the yard. Rather than making eye contact and giving himself away, he keeps trying to avoid looking at his dad, and even closing his eyes at some points.

His dad is pointing out the hole he dug and asking why he did it, but this dog is not talking — at least, not without his lawyer present. Dad doesn't even sound that mad about it, but the last thing that Jax is about to do is admit guilt.

In a comment, Jax's dad said that this is pretty typical behavior from Jax, and the expression he's making is his major tell that something is up. In the process of trying not to give himself away, poor Jax is doing the exact opposite.

"He’s in his invisibility cloak and hoping to god I disappear," Dad joked in response to one commenter.

Why Do Dogs Love to Dig Holes?

Not all dogs are diggers — I've never once caught my pup digging holes in the six years since we adopted her as an eight week old puppy. But for plenty of them, it's a beloved pastime, and that's actually pretty normal behavior (if not annoying).

There are a variety of reasons why dogs dig , per the American Kennel Club (AKC). The root of the behavior is pure instinct: many dogs once hunted animals in their dens underground, so today, dogs will still perform that hunting action, even if they don't realize that's what they're doing.

Some dogs will dig to bury things, like a bone or a toy they want to keep safe, and others will dig to get under a fence and escape. Some are diggers just because they're bored.

But if you need the behavior to stop — especially to keep them from escaping your yard — it can help to give them more exercise and stimulation throughout the day in the form of longer walks, more playtime, and toys like puzzle feeders. When all else fails, a dog trainer should be able to help.

In the meantime, I'm on Jax's side on this one. He didn't do it!