Why don't dogs look at themselves in mirrors?

Question

Our dog won't look at herself if a mirror, even when picked up and encouraged to do so. I have noticed this with previous dogs too.
Is there a simple biological explaination? It is quite spooky! Has anyone else noticed this?

Answer 1

Like most of answers, dogs do not have the sense of self and can not comprehend the image projected by the mirror. I would like to add though that scientists have discovered that elephants can recognize themselves in the mirrors, too. I guess using mirror is not the task that only primates can do.


XR

Answer 2

they do no longer recognize themselves and a few canines whilst seeing themselves interior the replicate for the 1st time would bark, growl or attempt to play with the 'different canines' via fact they do no longer know it is not actual- yet after a pair of cases, via fact the canines would not react to them, would not have a scent, and so on., they learn the canines isn't actual and in simple terms neglect approximately it, yet i do no longer think a canines has the self photograph and documents to seem interior the replicate, be conscious of what a replicate does, and be conscious of the mirrored photograph is them!

Answer 3

It's psychological (for the most part). Young children have the same problem until they become 'self aware'. Its separating yourself, and understanding that you and an individual separate from you surroundings and environment. Psychologists test self awareness by presenting a child in a mirror and putting something on their face then watching their reactions. Dogs are thought (for the most part) to lack self-awareness because they lack the cognitive development to understand that they are a separate entity (I dont necessarily agree). My professor's APBT loves looking at himself in the mirror, and so does my mother's basset-hound mix (especially when you tell her she's pretty).

Answer 4

Yep, but all my puppies used to and bark at them, but interesting enough, they only did it twice and then would not look in the mirror again after that. I think dogs are smart and know later on that this is not another dog and become uninterested, they see it as a wall after that.

Answer 5

there are very few animals that recognize the concept of "self". It's only been proven that humans and advanced primates like chimps possess the ability to recognize that the object in the mirror is themselves. Other creatures, such as siamese fighting fish, for example, when they look in a mirror, they think it's a competitor and wil try to fight their reflection. She's probably just uninterested in the image, as it means nothing to her. : )

Answer 6

They say that dogs don't have a sense of "self" - therefore they don't know it's them in the mirror. They think its another dog or the smart ones dismiss it altogether like an image from the TV .

Answer 7

I have three 5 month old Chihuahuas, and I alway's catch them on my bed, looking in a mirror, I have on the backboard of my bed. They just sit there, cocking their heads back and forth and wondering what their looking at. Their not afraid of the mirror at all. It's kind of cute watching them. So curious!

Answer 8

I saw a report about that question. Scientists found out that only apes have the mental capacity to recognise themselves in a mirror.

Answer 9

Nah. Half of my dogs do this, and the othe half love to bark at themselves. Most dogs who don't have discovered that it isn't another dog. But there is nothing wrong with this kind of behavior.