Is there an expermient I could do with my dog that would show that he truly recognizes himself in the mirror?

Question

And, if he does recognize himself in the mirror, is he "self-aware?"
My dog often looks at himself in my mirrors at home. He has never barked at the mirror.
Please, serious, informed answers only.

Answer 1

You could stick to the classics:
secretly place a sticky dot on your pups head. When he looks in the mirror, will he remove it? The problem is that this is designed for a sight oriented animal that would care about the dot (dogs are smell oriented)... you might want to train your dog to remove a dot from his arm first, and then try the secret dot on the head thing....
There is a ton of info on the web about it. Google "canine self awareness" or "animal cognition". You will have to muck through all the experiments and opinions to make up your own mind.
As for me, I have no doubt that my pups are self aware.
Here is what I did to test it myself. I stood behind my aussie and when I knew he was looking at my reflection (he was looking directly at me in the mirror), I took a treat out of my pocket and placed it by his leg. He never whirled around to look at me or to grab the treat until I said "ok" He turned the correct way, looked down exactly where I had placed the treat and ate it in a flash. If that is not awareness, well? at least it is showing he is aware that the reflection is me, and the cookie was a cookie, and the leg was his!
Hope this helps- dd

Answer 2

Well psychologically in babies, they say when you want to find out if your child recognizes itself or not you should put a little bit of blush on its cheek, and put the baby in front of a mirror, if the baby tries to smear the blush, then its recognizes itself. You could do the same thing with a dog, maybe use dirt of mud or something instead of makeup, and put it on its cheek and show it to the mirror, and see if it wipes it off. Just a thought!

Answer 3

I am sure he knows himself... They are more intelligent than you give him credit for--- Does he know the difference between you and the mailman??? Or maybe other members of the family??? Does he let your young child pull his ears or tail, or maybe fall on him, then give him a big tender lick on the cheek. How many thousands of times has man's best friend saved him from harm, or protected him from an enemy. I have had dogs that could hunt birds, rabbits, bear, even deer, and they certainly know the difference, and always return to Dad, maybe stopping to greet a friend along the way Next question please----you really think he doesn't know the dog next door???

Answer 4

in problem-free words 2 different animals were shown to be self conscious, an elephant and a dolphin. those experiments were achieved by replacing the creation of the animal in a way that they does no longer see the alteration with out looking in a replicate. Their reaction then advised the researcher in the adventure that they knew they were gazing themselves. For the elephant, a gap replaced into painted in its forehead the position the elephant ought to no longer see it unaided. at the same time as given a replicate, the elephant touched the spot with its trunk. on your canine, modify it in a way that's non-traumatic (dont do something that the canine ought to sense or it ought to nicely be responding to the feel particularly than being self conscious) that the canine does no longer note and note the reaction in a replicate. If the canine tried to rub the element off or barks, it ought to educate self-information. yet be careful because the alteration itself will be causing the reaction, no longer purely seeing it in a replicate. If in any respect achievable, modify the canine and purely see the way it reacts with out a replicate first.

Answer 5

print out pictures of different dogs and tape them to the wall and then put a mirror the same size in the middle and watch his reaction

Answer 6

Ummm Dogs and Birds.. How are they related and why on earth is this question NOT under the DOG section?