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REVIEWED & FACT-CHECKED BY
Dr. Paola Cuevas
Veterinarian, MVZ
The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.
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If you’ve ever shown your puppy their reflection in a mirror, you might be curious if dogs understand what they look like or recognize themselves. Do they interpret their own faces? What do they make of mirrors?
Typically, dogs seem indifferent to mirrors and show little interest in their reflections. Young puppies may initially engage with their reflections, possibly perceiving them as other dogs, but lose interest over time. Older dogs generally pay little attention to mirrors.
Dogs do not perceive themselves in mirrors as humans do when we see our own reflections. However, they are more attuned to recognizing scents, including their own. Let’s explore how dogs perceive themselves.
The Mirror Test
In the mirror test, a dog’s body is marked, and then the dog is presented with a mirror. If the dog notices the mark on its body in the mirror and turns to inspect it on itself, researchers can infer that the dog possesses self-recognition.
Animals like elephants, dolphins, and apes have successfully passed the mirror test, but dogs commonly fail this test.
This outcome is not surprising, as dogs heavily rely on their sense of smell rather than sight for discernment.
Dog Noses
Dogs may disregard mirror images because they lack any scent. Dogs primarily use their sight and smell to interact with the world. Whereas humans lean more towards vision than olfaction, dogs prioritize their noses for identifying objects and entities.
Self-Awareness in Dogs
Although dogs may not comprehend their reflections visually, there is evidence indicating their self-awareness through scent recognition.
In terms of self-awareness, dogs can distinguish themselves as separate entities from their surroundings, akin to humans. They recognize the boundaries of their bodies and the external environment.
A test involving 32 dogs revealed insights into their self-awareness. The dogs’ bodies served as obstacles in the test. The study aimed to demonstrate that dogs, by acknowledging their physical limitations, would adjust their bodies to accomplish tasks, displaying self-awareness. Dogs demonstrated understanding of spatial constraints, crucial for task completion.
The task involved passing a toy to their owners. At times, the toy was attached to a mat beneath the dog. This setup necessitated the dog to step off the mat to lift the toy and pass it over.
When the dogs sensed the mat hindering their movement while lifting the toy, they grasped the situation and promptly stepped off the mat to complete the task successfully. This behavior showcased their ability to comprehend the relationship between their bodies and surroundings.
Final Thoughts
Though dogs may not identify themselves in mirrors as humans do, they possess an awareness of their bodies. Their reliance on scent for self-identification and discernment of humans and other animals showcases their self-awareness and understanding of their physical presence in the world.
Featured Image Credit: Tomasz Wrzesien, Shutterstock
