Is It True That Dogs Understand They Are Part Of The Same Family?
The issue of communication between dogs and humans has already been widely discussed. Some studies claim that animals can understand our moods, the tone in which we say things, and even certain words. On the other hand, we also have some learning methods to tame what remains man’s best friend.
But how do dogs communicate with each other? A fact that is much more intriguing to know is how our canine friends become fond of each other when they live in the same house. And if they are part of the same family, is there any way for them to know they are related?
Maybe there’s a lot we haven’t found out about our four-legged friends yet, but there’s research going on. Next, we’ll explain a few things.
Can dogs recognize each other when they are related?
Dogs are likely to recognize who their parents and siblings are. However, this depends more on the socialization process than anything else. We could say that something similar happens to human beings. In the end… would you know that someone is your brother simply by being close to you? If you don’t have the prior information, it will be very difficult to assume this.
Something similar happens with animals. Their ability to recognize kinship will depend on the coexistence they develop at certain stages of their lives. Therefore, it is extremely important that dogs live with their families in the phase that goes from two to four months of life, whether with their parents or siblings. This is a critical socialization phase for them.
But when they are separated at an early age, it is evident that they can lose knowledge of this kind of bond. However, there is another mechanism they can use to identify their canine relatives.
The Power of Canine Smell
Our four-legged friend knows we’ve arrived home, among other things, because he can recognize our scent. Likewise, it has the ability to identify people through their powerful sense of smell. Years can pass and some dogs recognize the presence of other beings that have been around him.
It is essential to be aware that our pet will not necessarily know who their relatives may be simply by sniffing them. In any case, they identify the presence and smell of someone with whom they lived before. But of course the socialization process remains the key to recognition.
A small number of scientists have carried out experiments to see if this species is capable of facial recognition through vision. We know, however, that they can recognize their owner because they have a useful memory. However, the hypothesis that many want to answer is whether dogs can recognize themselves through their eyes.
Recognition and socialization among dogs
It is logical to think that the identification process is a matter of life and death for these dear pets. Recognizing will allow them to distinguish who is the enemy and who is the friend, something they relate to survival, self-protection and food. We could be facing an instinctual function, or even survival.
However, canine memory and its mechanisms for recognizing others are limited capacities for them. The truth is that everything seems to depend on the socialization processes that canines go through and in which there is always some risk.
Therefore, making two domestic dogs get along well in the same house will depend largely on a correct performance by their owner. Everything can be defined in the act of presentation, when the dogs meet for the first time. But what do you need to avoid? That both dogs feel jealous or that the other invades their territory.
And when two dogs are of different breeds?
As you will see, dogs are recognized through their sense of smell, chemical substances and some gestural elements. Since this is such a crucial process for canine life, we could think that there is not so much difference between the breeds. In this sense, what can make two different dogs get along well or bad is their own perceptions.
In a nutshell, the breed is not so decisive, because two dogs of different breeds have the same organism. It is important to emphasize that owners must interpret their pets’ body postures. Reviewing some aspects, such as posture or look, will allow us to know if two dogs that are about to meet feel fear, danger, want to attack or if, on the contrary, they sympathize with each other.
