Can Dogs Know They're Dogs? Exploring Canine Self-Aware

This is not a simple question; it delves into the realm of species recognition. Species recognition refers to the question: Do dogs know the difference between themselves and other species, such as humans?

Animal behavior experts at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom conducted a study. After years of observation and comparison of the habits of cats and dogs, they discovered:

When cats interact with humans, they do not alter their social behaviors, indicating that cats perceive themselves as belonging to the same category as humans.

On the other hand, dogs exhibit a significant change in their social behavior when interacting with humans, but when dogs interact with each other, they display a different set of social behaviors unique to their species.

Meanwhile, in France, there was a groundbreaking experiment that captivated the world. Researchers designed the experiment to observe if dogs could identify their own species among other animals. They prepared photos of humans, cats, cows, sheep, horses, rats, and reptiles. The participating dogs included medium and large breeds, as well as mixed breeds.

The test was straightforward. In a confined environment, two computer monitors were set up, with one displaying a dog's face and the other showing a face of another animal. The dogs were allowed to approach and make their own distinctions. A dog that paused in front of its own photo for a certain duration was considered to have passed, and a dog had to pass at least 10 out of 12 tests to be deemed successful.

The results were astonishing! The participating dogs aced the test, meaning they not only accurately identified their own species but could also differentiate between other species and their own, whether it was from a side view or a frontal view. The dogs could quickly recognize their own kind.

These tests reveal that dogs are aware of their differences from humans and know exactly what they are.

What about cats?

As fellow pets, cats do not hold the same beliefs. Foreign cat research experts argue that humans are not as important to cats as they are to dogs. Unlike dogs, which were domesticated, cats joined human society of their own accord. When rodents invaded human settlements and destroyed crops, cats appeared to hunt them. Therefore, cats do not require human guidance.

Over time, humans have become a category in their minds, even possibly just a "pooper scooper" figure.