Golden Retriever Puppy Fights His Mirror Reflection

Kids are not the only ones who love watching themselves in the mirror, puppies do it too. This cute clip shows the moment a Golden Retriever puppy comes face to face with himself after looking into a mirror for the first time and getting slightly confused.Show more

Puppies of all breeds are known for being extremely inquisitive and energetic, and most of the time they are seen as being very impulsive and indecisive. When this precious little pup sees his reflection, it seems like he actually thinks there is another dog on the other side of this surface that he is looking at. This is common for many puppies to do when they see their reflection, especially if it is their first time. Every puppy owner has most likely at some point seen their little furry friend do this, and we all cannot resist the cuteness!

The mirror is a funny thing. Until you are old enough to understand the simple physics behind the plate of glass coated in a thin layer of metal able to reflect light back to you, looking in a mirror is like looking into a parallel universe. We use it to make ourselves presentable when we go out in public.

When your puppy looks in the mirror, what does he see? A playmate, maybe. An adversary, sometimes. But could he possibly recognize himself? For that matter, does a dog have a sense of ‘self’?

All these questions are almost impossible to answer matter-of-factly, and it is unfortunate that dogs cannot give their perspective in a way that we would understand them. Therefore, scientists who study the intelligence of animals have created a test that would allow them to measure these concepts that are difficult to understand.

This test involves the use of an object that is available in every home - mirrors. It is called the mirror recognition test itself, and since its introduction in the seventies, it remains the "gold standard" in determining the existence of self-consciousness in living beings. Elephants, chimpanzees, and dolphins belong to the animals that passed this test, which suggested that they have an awareness of themselves.

But in a large number of other primates, as well as other highly intelligent creatures, such as octopuses, the mirror either caused embarrassment or did not arouse any interest.
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