Have you ever read about mirror neurons? It’s a fascinating concept. Here’s the definition from Science Daily:
A mirror neuron is a neuron which fires both when an animal performs an action and when the animal observes the same action performed by another (especially conspecific) animal…. These neurons have been observed in primates, including humans, and in some birds. –Source
So the question is: Do dogs have mirror neurons? Can they learn by watching each other? This is the subject of scrutiny. Here’s some interesting research: Dogs Catch Yawns From Their Owners.
Here’s some more interesting research:
Since we adopted Emmett six years ago, and then Lucas five years ago, the boys weren’t allowed on the bed. The rule changed last year, and Cooper made himself incredibly comfortable. As you can see from the picture above, he commandeered John’s pillow as a dog bed on top of a bed. Meanwhile, Emmett and Lucas still haven’t felt entirely comfortable jumping up on the bed since they weren’t allowed to for so long.
Until…
And then a few days later…
Clearly this wasn’t a rigorous scientific study. There was no control or any real observations other than me snapping a cell phone pic. But for so many years, neither Emmett nor Lucas made a move to get on the bed or, especially, curl up on a pillow. Even when they were allowed up they stuck to curling up at the foot of the bed. As soon as Sir Cooper made himself comfortable, all of a sudden both of the big boys tried it. Hmm…
Mirror neurons at work?
What do you think? Can you share any anecdotes about your dogs that might indicate that they have mirror neurons? Have they started doing something after watching another dog do it?
As a final thought, how cute is this?! He flipped one pillow down to make himself a little wedge to sleep in:
P.S. Don’t forget to enter to win the Citizen Canine bag by Tom Bihn. The contest closes Tuesday, July 3!
I definitely believe that dogs learn from watching each other. I found that training Hurley (cause he’s the fastest learner) a new trick, then having him show it to the girls improved their learning curve tremendously. Especially with Maggie. I watch her watching him and figuring it out; it’s really cool to see.
That’s an awesome example!! Thanks for sharing!
I definitely believe this. When our border collie Meghan was a puppy she tried to catch everything with her two front paws. We despaired that our dog was defective. When she was about six months old we stayed at a B&b on a dairy farm. A farm collie wandered out to give her a good sniff. When it saw a tennis ball we brought its face lit up. We threw the ball to it and it caught it in its mouth. You coukd almost see Meghans face recognise the information and next throw to her she made a perfect catch in her mouth. We repeated the trick with a frisbee as well so it is definitely learned by observing. Wish it worked to get her to swim!
Wow – what a great story! That sounds exactly like her mirror neurons were firing away. And good luck with the swimming – if you figure out how to get her to swim, let me know. I’m working on Lucas!
I’d certainly go along with that theory or another. When it was cold, I’d let the dogs out to pee and shut the glass door. If they took too long, I’d tap twice on the glass, to get their attention. Harriet, (a little Norfolk terrier X, if you are imagining it). simply took the idea and began knocking at the door, when she wanted to come inside and I haven’t noticed. She stands on her hindlegs, and does double taps, like me.
I know if I watch showjumping, I feel the moment to stand in the saddle and take the jump, and I know I tense muscles, in the tiniest mirror action. I also watch the cycling and feel the moment they get out of the bike saddle, to power up hills, and I catch myself leaning forward, sometimes. Before I got my car license, I used to lean forward, every time the car went up hills the caused a gear change, then catch myself and laugh.
Great examples, Molly!! And how smart of Harriet!
oops. I forgot to say, as a PASSENGER in a car, before I got my license,..
I’ve read that house training a puppy is easier when there is an older dog already in the house to lead by example.
Unfortunately, I think dogs learn bad habits from each other too. I swear that years ago, Agatha and Christie took turns teaching each other trouble. 🙂
Very interesting!
I have 1dog Alfie & my mum has 1 dog murphy. They don,t live 2gether but r often walked 2gether & we stay/visit mums alot. Have noticed the dogs mirror each other sleeping position,mostly to a T, without physically touching, but more importantly they don,t look at each other, often have their back to each other but stil they mirror positions. Telepathy??
I think there’s a danger of confusing social learning with mirror neuron driven behaviour – tho I would say dogs have great capacity for both. What humans have more is the ability to ‘rationalise’ both social learning and mirror neuron behaviours – which I think is what lets us all down and thus dogs are far more loyal and ’emotional;y’ driven than humans who suppress those emotions (cos society says we must).
Jumping up on the bed – following suit – is more social learning for me. The dogs may pick up on your reduced ‘disdain’ for it in an ’empathic’ way tho I’d say they are simply doing what ‘kids’ do and re-testing the boundaries/permissions. However, dogs are extremely perceptive of human emotion – they are acutely empathic – and there are endless doggy-stories to demonstrate how readily they sense when their owners are sad or frightened – and also happy.
I’d also consider that the ‘mirror neurons’ is what makes support dogs so effective – and why they can now even train dogs to pick up the subtle perceptions of body change in diabetics when their blood-sugar drops. It’s much less on smell and more on behavioural changes in the owner and mirror neurons would explain greatly their prowess at doing this.
I’d hazard a guess that dogs have a much higher ration of mirror neurons than humans – or at least, they seem to use them a lot more!
I adopted a dog 2 years ago, she was incredibly insecure by herself, and would bark at my husband insensibly all the time. We then adopted a second dog and literally the first day they met they were like long lost lovers or siblings. Every day they play outside together working as bonny and clyde hunting for grouse and rodents in the stone wall. They are so funny just running around excited all day! They then come in and sleep. I notice they literally MIRROR eachothers positions when lying down. One is a black lab and one is a yellow lab, so it looks so ying and yang. The black male lab is very kind and lovable and melts your heart, the yellow female is very shy and nervous. They are so yin yang, and they literally mirror eachothers positions to a T! And sometimes they mirror eachother without even being in the same room. I was walking down the hallway and they were both lying on their sides with their legs stretched out, and when I walked by they lifted their heads and wagged their tail. I also notice there is a dog that visits everyday and has a signature smile he does, and shuffle when he is happy to see you, and the black lab and yellow lab totally picked up on it. So did the yellow lab copy the hearding tendencies of a border collie that visited every day too. When the dog didnt come back my yellow lab hasnt had hearding tendencies. I love my black lab he is literally so adorable. He is a rescue, but such a sweet dog