“Do dogs understand mirrors?” A question for science
One thing that we know for sure is that dogs see something in mirrors. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many videos of dog-mirror reactions. Sometimes they seem scared, other times they’re determined to play. Either way, in their first encounter with a mirror, they simply seem unable to look away. You can almost see the gears working in those little heads of theirs.
However, according to National Geographic, when dogs look into a mirror, one thing that they don’t see is themselves. Instead, they may think that they’ve stumbled upon another dog – a potential friend or foe – and act accordingly. If they’re a bit worried about a strange dog in their space, they may stiffen and raise their hackles. Or, thinking they’ve found a new friend, they may do that cute little let’s play squat. Visit our article on doggy body language to learn what your dog might be trying to tell their mirror mate.
The reason why scientists are convinced that dogs don’t see themselves is because, they say, dogs don’t possess self-awareness. The key is the mirror test. If you place a mark on a magpie’s wing, and place the bird next to a mirror, something amazing happens. The magpie will see in their reflection that there’s something on their wing, and try to clean it off. Dolphins, elephants, and some apes are also able to do this. However, dogs don’t. Even humans aren’t born with this ability. It’s only when we reach about 18 months that we pass the mirror test ourselves.
Now, there’s been some disagreement in the field of science about whether this is a true indication of self-awareness. After all, the animals that pass the mirror test rely more on their vision than the animals who fail. To this end, some researchers have relied on scent-based tests to prove that dogs do, in fact, possess self-awareness.
As it stands, though, much of the field agrees that while our furbabies may see a reflection in a mirror, dogs understand mirrors much differently than we do. In other words, they don’t see themselves.
The Truth About Dogs and Mirrors
The three most common and accepted assumptions about dogs and mirrors are:
Most dogs usually just ignore mirrors because the mirror-dog doesn’t react the way a real, living animal would, so they feel less interested.
Your dog is also less likely to stare at the reflection because the mirror-dog doesn’t have a smell, leaving them unbothered.
This process is called habituation. It’s when an animal loses interest in something to preserve their energy and focus on other things.
Why Does My Dog Stare in the Mirror?
Although dogs ignore mirrors most of the time, some curiously stare at it all the time. Why do they do this?
There are three possible reasons why dogs stare in the mirror.
First, they may see a potential friend or enemy, depending on how they react.
If they get too close and smell them, they might be interested. On the other hand, barking or growling may indicate they perceive an enemy.
However, this situation happens rarely because dogs are usually unbothered due to the lack of smell of the mirror-dog.
Those who bark at their reflection, cower in fear, or give a little bow as an invitation to play, are usually puppies who still have a lot to learn.
After a while, they will lose interest in their reflection because the mirror-dog doesn’t act the way a real living dog does.
A second possible conclusion is that they see something similar to them, but they do not recognize it as themselves and they couldn’t care less.
Finally, dogs may stare in the mirror because they recognize themselves, but they have no inclination to watch themselves at all.