Does a dog know its a dog?

[graemer]

Further to bnp's post about talking dog's I'm wondering if a dog actually knows it's a dog?

[smudge]

Are you 'talking' Animal or Human? 

[FP]

Having three cats and two dogs, I think they all have ID crises!!  They have formed a closely knit group and have picked up traits from one another.  Mind you one of the cats thinks it's a parrot and insists on sitting on shoulders. 

[butter1]

ha ha ... FP answer was very good!  I have a dog and I think she thinks that she is human. 

[kaktus]

I would say, like FP, that they pick up traits from each other. We had to dogs and got a very small kitten (he was only four weeks - long story)and he grew up thinking he was a dog. Then one of the dogs died and we had a new pup. Since the other dog was getting old the cat had to do the education which resulted in the pup thinking he was a dog-cat-human :-)

[graemer]

Sorry smudge I'm not sure what you mean?
I think I'm just wondering in the scheme of things do they know "I'm a dog" (although they'd have a different name).
I guess i could ask does a dolphin know its a dolphin. Because they sometimes characterise other animals I'm still unsure whether they're saying "Look at me I'm a cat who can sit on FP's shoulder"?

[FP]

I think their basic instinct tells them what animal they really are, for mating purposes as much as anything else.  However, they learn other traits if they live with other species.

However, Graemer, I don't think their intelligence level makes them wonder about it.

Hmm thinks, I wonder whether I really am an old bat!

[smudge]

Sorry graemer - I was wondering whether you were referring to the four legged kind, or the two legged kind. (In England, some nasty people refer to females they  don't like or are ugly, as dogs!).

Anyway, my Mum's budgie used to drink out of the dog's bowl, so I suppose you could say he thought he was a dog!

[graemer]

Smudge , I get it now. Not that i use the expression but I would have put that in people and places. Hello Mr. Mugabe.

[smudge]

LOL graemer!

[ali_alic]

Reminds me of the old joke,

Q  "whats the difference between a fox and a dog"

A  "about 8 pints!!"

[jenky]

they are not 'self-aware' . If you put a dog in front of a mirror, it does not know that the reflection is him.

[Fitzburger]

Dogs think they are wolves. They also think they are human when it suits them, but mostly they believe themselves to be big fierce timberwolves.

[boodle]

i dont think so i have a labrador cross who thinks shes a CAT!!!

[Fitzburger]

My chocolate lab/GSD cross drinks milk and eats fish, and lies stretched out on my lap, but that's because he's greedy, lazy and an attention seeking 8 year old "puppy"