Dogs generally do not recognize themselves in a mirror. The majority of research suggests that dogs rely more on smell, sound, and other cues than on visual information, so they typically treat their reflection as another dog rather than as themselves. However, there is nuance: some dogs show limited signs of self-awareness in special contexts, such as recognizing altered odors on themselves, and a few studies indicate that with training or different experimental setups, some dogs may display responses that hint at self- recognition. Overall, the classic mirror test tends to fail for dogs, but this does not rule out other forms of self-awareness that dogs might possess. Key points

• Mirror test results: Most dogs do not pass the standard mirror self-recognition test, often reacting to their reflection as if it were another dog.

• Sensory emphasis: Dogs rely heavily on olfactory cues; some research shows they can notice and respond to changes in their own scent, indicating a form of self-recognition in the olfactory domain.

• Variability and interpretation: The absence of visual self-recognition in mirrors does not necessarily mean lack of self-awareness overall; the right context and species-specific cues matter when designing tests.

If you’d like, I can summarize key studies more precisely or discuss how mirror tests compare across species.