In the long years of living with humans day and night, dogs have become close friends of humans. They are faithful and friendly, seem to understand our emotions and needs, and are an indispensable member of the family. But do these smart creatures really know that they are not humans? Do they have self-awareness and can understand their existence?
Scientists have conducted numerous studies on the self-awareness of animals, perhaps the most famous of which is "mirror test". This test is to judge whether an animal can recognize the reflection in the mirror as it is itself to judge whether it is self-aware. Gorillas, dolphins, elephants and some birds passed this test, showing that they had a certain degree of self-awareness. However, most dogs fail the mirror test and they don't seem to recognize themselves in the mirror.
Dogs' behavior often shows that they have a certain understanding of themselves and their environment. Many dog owners have found that their dogs will show shame after making mistakes, hide in corners or bow their heads and dare not look directly at their owners. This seems to be a sign that they know they have done something wrong, although there is a debate that it is actually a reaction to the owner's emotions, not a manifestation of guilt. The deep emotional connection between dogs and humans may be one of the important reasons why they are cognitively closer to humans. Through thousands of years of domestication, they have developed the ability to understand human emotions and language. The dog can understand the owner's instructions, feel the owner's joy, anger, sorrow, and respond in a timely manner. This ability does not necessarily mean that they have self-awareness, but at least it shows that they know that they are different from people, that they have their own roles and positions.
Dogs' sense of social hierarchy also reflects their perception of their own status. There are clear leaders and followers in the dog group, who know what kind of behavior is acceptable in the group and what kind of behavior is not. This sense of hierarchy may be the result of their integration with human society, but it can also be interpreted as their perception of their own social identity.
Experience and emotions also show to some extent the dog's identity. Dogs like to play, and they will appear happy, excited or melancholy. For example, when the owner leaves for a long time, the dog may show obvious loneliness and sadness, while when reunited, it shows unparalleled joy. Does this consistent emotional response imply a dog’s inner perception of the self?
Further, the role and identity of dogs in the family may be part of their self-awareness. They know they are responsible for protecting the territory, caring for the family, and even accompanying and comforting family members. These behavioral patterns may be seen as dogs understanding their social roles and identities to some extent.
Nevertheless, dogs have obvious differences in their cognition of self-awareness from humans. Their behavior is more based on intuition and training, and lacks complex introspection and reflection skills. It is difficult for dogs to analyze their thinking and feelings like humans. They may not understand what "I" is.
In the process of becoming a member of a modern family, dogs seem to have found their "humanized" role that conforms to their instincts and behavior patterns. They may feel that they are not humans in their interactions, but they are not entirely wild animals. Dogs are dogs that interact and coexist with humans in a unique way.
Whether a dog really "knows" that he is not a human being is not a conclusion. Their behavior shows a certain degree of self-awareness and environment, but whether they can have a deep self-awareness like humans is still a field that makes people curious and explore. In any case, dogs’ joy, loyalty and compassion make them an integral part of human culture and family. In the future, with the advancement of science and the deeper understanding of pet psychology by humans, perhaps we will have more understanding of the inner world of these loyal partners.