Can animals tell one another apart like humans can?

Question

Alright. ive been wondering about this question for a while now. Number 1, noone who answers this question is going to be able to tell me for sure, it'll just be your opinion, because if you were an animal, you wouldnt be on yahoo answers to tell me what you think. but i was just wondering, can animals tell who is who? Ok, i can go to work, and i know who jack is, i know who jim is, i know who benny is, and i know this just by looking at their faces. can animals do the same thing? just by looking at another animals face? I know they can tell by smell.

Now, im not racist or anything, but im white. Black people, Asian people, etc.. almost all look alike to me. I AM SERIOUSLY NOT BEING RACIST. I am in the army, and im fighting along side alot of differant races, so i know im not. But im just saying that everyone that isnt white looks almost alike. so, could it be that a dog knows another dog's face? im just curious.

Answer 1

Yepp

Answer 2

Of course they can tell each other apart!

You don't have pets, do you?

The cats who live in my house clearly know who each other are...They also know that the cats who don't live there are neither of the above. They know that the orange cat who comes to visit is friendly, and he's allowed in the yard...They know that the grey cat who treks thru the yard is not friendly, and he needs to be chased off. I dunno if they call each other by different names, but they very clearly can tell the difference from one to the other.

I'm sorry to tell you this, but your second paragraph is really racist. It may not be intentional, but if you truly look at a Japanese person, and can only see "Japanese", without understanding the different features of their faces, you are acting in a racist manner. If your intention is not to be racist, it is probably worth the extra effort to look more carefully at them next time...Spend a few extra seconds to understand the shape of their lips...how they're spaced apart from their nose, and how that connects with their eyes and the bone structure in their cheeks, chin and forehead. Honestly, it will help you to make this the non-issue that it should be.
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Since I can't reply to your email, I have to post my response here:

Oh, my gosh, you totally misunderstood me!!

I completely believe that you don't choose people based on race...I completely believe that you have friends, comrades and trusted partners from other races. Please, don't get me wrong.

Truly, I was trying to be helpful, in pointing out that when you say all black people look the same to you, that this is racist behavior, even if you don't intend for it to be...I never said, or believed, that you wanted it to be that way.

You never said that all white people look the same, too...In fact, you actually said that anyone who wasn't white looks almost alike. To me, this means that you see the other races differently than you see whites, which means there is some racism happening, regardless of whether or not you want it to.

I TOTALLY get that you don't consider yourself better than others because of your race.

I TOTALLY get that there are people of all races around you, and that you trustingly put your life in their hands on a daily basis.

Honest, this was not an attempt to call you names, or make you feel bad in any way. Just to try to help you understand that there are things you might want to do to make your actions catch up with your intentions.

Okay, so you were raised in a small town...But now you're in the Army, surrounded by people who look different (white or not)...You have the opportunity in front of you to start seeing the individuals as different from each other, as well as from you.

Please, really, I meant no insult. I really can't express that enough. Really.

Answer 3

Yes, although different animals do so in different ways. A dog is more likely to recognize someone by smell than visually.

Answer 4

I'm pretty sure....dogs are intelligent!

Answer 5

yes by scent