Dogs' Reflection Reactions: Mirror Behavior Insights

Scientists have uncovered an intriguing phenomenon: during the 18 to 24month period of human infants, they are unable to recognize the person in the mirror as themselves. Instead, they naively believe the figure in the glass is another playmate, attempting to communicate and interact with the image as if it were a real person.

Research on chimpanzees reveals an equally fascinating outcome. Initially, these primates also mistake the mirror's reflection for another individual. However, as they spend more time in front of the mirror, they eventually come to realize that the image is their own. They begin to touch their faces and bodies in the mirror, mimicking human behavior.

But the most captivating aspect of this experiment involves dogs.

Young dogs exhibit a range of behaviors when they encounter their reflection in the mirror, including surprise, aggression, and curiosity. Some even mistake the image for another dog, inviting play and darting around the room.

However, when an adult dog looks into the mirror, it remains completely unresponsive—a behavior that has piqued the interest of scientists.

Studies have shown that as animals that have accompanied humans for thousands of years, dogs' lack of reaction to their own reflection is particularly perplexing. This uniqueness, shaped by their historical role, makes their behavior difficult to explain.

Ultimately, scientists have proposed three possible explanations:

1. Dogs lack selfawareness and therefore ignore their own reflection in the mirror.

2. Dogs are highly adaptable and have become accustomed to the mirror, finding it unremarkable.

3. Dogs do not trust their visual senses and do not acknowledge the absence of scent in the mirror image.

Clearly, the first explanation is unacceptable to any dog owner. If dogs lack selfawareness, many of their behaviors would be inexplicable. Even some scientists have taken issue with this explanation, conducting an experiment with their own dogs.

They placed urine in the snow, then collected the snow and mixed it with urine from other dogs, asking their dogs to sniff it. The result was that the dogs showed interest only in the urine from other dogs, barely acknowledging their own.

This suggests that dogs indeed have selfawareness, as they can discern the lack of significance in their own urine. It also confirms that dogs rely heavily on their sense of smell to make judgments.

Another experiment, conducted in 1970, involved dyeing a specific part of dogs, chimpanzees, and dolphins. While the other animals were startled or even fearful, the dogs remained the most calm when facing their reflection in the mirror.

This experiment has been refined over the years, and recently, some dogs have begun to react to the mirror, though their responses are not characterized by the skepticism or hostility shown by other animals. Instead, these dogs exhibit a strong sense of kindness towards their mirror image, a change that remains unexplained to this day.

So, what if a dog is afraid of the mirror?

Some dogs may bark loudly or even become fearful when passing in front of a mirror. In such cases, it's recommended to spend more time with your dog in front of the mirror, or consider relocating the mirror if necessary!