[childlessdoglady]

I recently noticed something interesting (and a little funny) about my dog. Every time he catches sight of himself in the mirror, he starts barking like crazy! At first, I thought it was kind of cute, but now I’m wondering if this is normal or if it’s a sign of something else?

Does this happen to anyone else’s dog? I’d love to hear your thoughts on why they might do this and if there’s a way to help him stop! Thanks in advance for your advice! Looking forward to hearing your experiences.

[Sadie Cornelius]

Yes, it’s normal for some dogs to bark at their own reflection in a mirror. Dogs don’t have the same self-awareness as humans, so they might not realize they’re looking at themselves. Instead, they see the reflection as another dog in their territory and may react with barking or curiosity. If the barking becomes excessive or obsessive, you may want to redirect their attention with toys, treats, or online training exercises.

[Danielle DeGroot]

My dog barks at her own reflection in the mirror and also on our glass sliding door. At night, the door is basically a huge mirror, and I have to pull the curtains closed, or she will bark at herself. I have also found that when the light hits the mirror a certain way, it triggers her to bark. My solution has been to cover the window and move the mirror where she cannot see it. She does not do this as much now, but reflections were a big trigger for her when she was younger. Now, as she is getting older (she’s 14), I think her reflection truly startles her at times. It looks like another dog but has no scent, so I can understand why this might be confusing to her.

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