Dogs are known for their intelligence and ability to learn commands and tricks with ease. They can recognize their owners from a crowd and even sense when they are upset or unhappy. However, do dogs understand how a mirror works? The answer is no. Dogs do not recognize themselves in mirrors as they lack self-awareness, at least as far as mirrors are concerned. But, that doesn’t mean they don’t possess self-awareness in other areas.
Research published by the AKC confirms that dogs recognize themselves and other dogs more through smell than sight. Dogs are tested using urine, including their own, urine from other dogs, and foreign scents like eucalyptus. The results showed that dogs recognized their urine quickly, recognized the urine from other dogs, and detected when their urine had been tampered with using an additional scent. Therefore, dogs identify themselves and other dogs more with their sense of smell than their sense of sight, indicating a sense of self-awareness.
When it comes to mirrors, some dogs might have a fear of them as they see “another dog” in the reflection. Most dogs will quickly lose interest in the “other” dog they see, and some dogs might ignore their reflection altogether. This is because the “other” dog has no scent, and it reacts very differently than a genuine second dog would respond. Without these two factors, most dogs become bored and look for something else to do.
Although there have been reports of dogs that could recognize their reflection, no dog has ever been proven to understand that its reflection was its own face. Some dogs might have some understanding of how mirrors work, particularly if they are exposed to similar circumstances using mirrors, such as a floor-length mirror in your bedroom. However, scientists confirm that dogs see another dog in the mirror and not their reflection, so the mirror test may not be accurate to test a dog’s self-awareness.
If you’ve seen a puppy look in a mirror and cry, the reflection doesn’t have a scent, and it doesn’t react like a real dog. For these two reasons, a puppy might become sad and cry because the play pal it hoped was there to play with isn’t acting as it should. This stress caused by the situation can be overwhelming, and taking your puppy to another spot and giving them some TLC is recommended.
Mirrors aren’t bad for dogs, but ensure that any mirrors around your home are securely attached in place, as a falling mirror can cause serious injuries to your dog. Regarding which animals see themselves in a mirror, only three creatures on Earth have “passed” the mirror test for self-awareness, humans, chimpanzees, and orangutans. Some researchers believe that more creatures are self-aware, but none of them have passed the human-biased test.
In conclusion, dogs recognize themselves and other dogs more with their sense of smell than their sense of sight. While they may not understand how mirrors work, they possess a sense of self-awareness in other areas. Whether they see themselves in a mirror or not, having a loving dog in your home reflects a beautiful reflection on your life.
