Animals

[Caran]

Watching Chris Packham. With his dogs earlier, it crossed my mind would a dog recognise itself and it's mate on tv?

[stewey]

I wouldn't think so, Caran. We've all seen the antics of dogs and/or cats facing a mirror. The so called experts say that self awareness is one of the traits that distinguishes between humans and "lesser" creatures.

[FredPuli43]

I doubt it. Mine had difficulty recognising one of their own, who happened to live here and was their father !When he returned from the groomer's,his daughters all barked at him and some ran away; evidently they didn't recognise his facial features but only knew him when they were brave enough to get a sniff of him, recognising his smell.

All dogs have trouble with mirrors; one of ours, as a pup, used to go to a mirror to see whether the other dog was still there, so we called her Vanity in consequence of her habit of looking at herself. Even when they adjust, it is apparent that they treat the mirror as a curiosity. They do not recognise themselves or their sisters in it.

[Caran]

Three very interesting and varied answers. I might have to experiment with daughters three dogs.

[supersuezy24]

Dunno about on tv but seen a clip on youtube recently of a pug puppy looking in a mirror barking at himself obviously not recognising himself.

[wolf63]

I read an article about cats who recognising people and other animals in photographs. I think that it may have been Pete Wedderburn's vet page in the Telegraph.

[Caran]

That sounds interesting wolf63

[wolf63]

I found it:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/petshealth/10304373/Pet-subjects-can-my-cat-recognise-photos.html