I am starting to think that poor Archie is lonely. He will stare at his reflection in the dishwasher, glass doors, and fireplace and either whine or bark. At first I thought it was just because he was so little (he started this ages ago) and didn't yet understand that the reflection wasn't another dog. It hasn't stopped. I feel so bad for the poor guy when he is sitting there staring at his reflected image and whining. Do you think I should be concerned that he needs more socialization time? He's out a few times a week at the dog park or "day care." Deb and Lonesome AKA Archie
Not usually, no. BUT, a couple of evenings ago, Coco was out in the garden, barking as if at a stranger - I went out and he was barking at his reflection in a mirror propped up against a wall. I tried turning the outside light on, no difference. I had to go out to him, which made him move from the mirror, then I threw a biscuit into the house & he went in. This mirror has been there since we got him, he's never barked at it before (or since).
Not as a regular thing, no. Dogs (and cats) are among the animals not supposed to be able to recognize themselves. However Oban once had a priceless reaction that had our whole obedience class laughing. He had to be approved to get into this competitive class as he had not taken the intro classes with this same instructor. So we are entering the room and and getting ready and he's taking it all in stride, just looking around him with great interest. And we get the class going with our first circuit of the room and we turn a corner and we're walking right towards a large mirror. Really, it's the size of a door but lying sideways on the floor. And there is another black Lab walking right toward Oban. Of course it's his reflection but he appeared to think it was another dog on a collision course with him. Oban stopped, he looked, he wagged his tail. The other dog wagged his tail back indicating he was friendly and then when Oban looked up at me the class erupted and the spell was broken. He did go sniff the mirror though. And he never so much as glanced at it again. Actually I got the feeling from then on he was trying to avoid looking at it so it couldn't trick him again. Maybe Archie is a bit the same? He wonders why that dog doesn't do more, come play with him? A bit more play is usually good, why don't you give it a try?
Both my dogs as puppies were interested in reflections - their own in mirrors, and reflections of other moving things in windows. Betsy barked at reflections at first. But then they both lost interest when they found reflections were a bit boring. I wouldn't think that Archie's behaviour is about loneliness. There is no reason to think that. If you are worried about it, then research along the lines of dogs that follow shadows, moving light etc. Fascination with this kind of thing can turn into a type of obsessive behaviour, and often can be headed off by occupying the dog with more stimulation, and things to do. If I were worried about such a thing (and I'm not saying you need to worry just if you are) I'd also stop the dog from rehearsing it by removing mirrors, and distracting him etc.
Both of my dogs are interested in their reflections in mirrors. I think it can turn in to an obsessive behaviour as my friends dog does it with any kind of light/sunshine shining on the wall, decking etc. he barks and will not take his eyes off it. Unfortunately their solution to this behaviour was a citronella collar which has done absolutely nothing at all to help but has made him a little uneasy about having his head stroked . I did suggest distraction methods or clicker training but it fell on deaf ears
Willow still barks at her reflection. She's two and a half. Dick. With her, I'm sure it's about something she's not used to. In Andorra, we have a huge window/door unit in the living room, and we draw the curtains at night. Because of this, she doesn't see her reflection often. So, the occasions where we don't do it early, or if we're somewhere else and she sees herself, she barks. It's not just a reflection thing, because she doesn't respond to herself in mirrors, but windows when it's dark outside, absolutely. She also barks at the moon, we discovered this summer. Not when we're outside, but if she's inside and can see the moon through the window (which she never does in Andorra - again, curtains!), she will bark at it. When we drove back to the UK in November, overnight, she barked at the moon from the car. Again... dick.
Yikes! I will keep an eye on him for sure. I can't remove the dishwasher or fireplace glass, so I will be sure to keep his problem solving toys handy if this behaviour looks like it's turning into something obsessive.
Our puppy worked out the mirror pretty much at the start of seeing it and in fact from the second she saw them in teh bathrooms she will look you in the eye via the reflection and then look at you when you turn around and then back at you in the mirror. Fascinated yes but she worked out how reflections worked very quickly. Even uses the reflection in the glass sliding door at night when its reflective. Our older dog doesnt get mirrors he will look at the back of your head but call her and she will appear and look at you via the mirror.
