Does My Dog Think I’m Like Them?

Have you ever spent time what your dog is thinking about? Maybe even about their feelings and how they view their relationship to you? Some dog owners may even wonder does your dog know there is a difference between you and them? Or do they see you as a friend, like the ones that they meet on a walk or at the dog park. If you’ve ever thought to yourself “Does my dog think I’m a dog” or if they understand the differences between dogs and humans, then this article is for you!

Dogs Recognize Other Dogs by Scent

If you’re looking for the short answer to the question “Does my dog think I’m a dog?”, the answer is no. Dogs will know right off the bat that you are not a dog because of how you smell. Dogs have the same senses as humans do, but their sense of smell is far more advanced than ours is. Their sense of smell can be up to 100,000 times better than the average humans. They can also process more information based on smell, including identifying what species they are interacting with.

Dogs Likely Recognize Dogs by Sight

In addition to dogs being able to identify other dogs by their scent, they are also likely able to recognize a dog by seeing them. A 2013 study by researchers at the University of Paris tested dogs ability to visually differentiate between images of dogs and other animals. They found that all of the nine dogs in the study were able to separate the images of dogs from the other animals, even if the breed of the dogs in the photo changed.

You’re Still Family

Just because your dog knows that you’re not a dog like them doesn’t mean that they don’t still consider you family. You should still consider yourself to be a “Dog Parent”. Researches from the University of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Vienna in Vienna, Austria found that the relationship between a dog owner and their dog is very similar to that of a parent and human child relationship. Dogs are more motivated by the presence of their owners under the “secure base effect”.

Understanding How Your Dog Thinks

Although we will never be able to completely understand what your dog is thinking or feeling, we can know that your dog likely knows that you’re not a dog like them. But, just because your dog knows that you are different doesn’t make the value of their relationship with you any less valuable. Your dog still looks up to you for care when it come to feeding, playing, and loving on them every day!